The electrical industry is a field that has been known to be lucrative for many years. It is also one of the most in-demand fields, with electrical technicians and electricians always in high demand. For these reasons, electrical training courses are available worldwide – from local community colleges to online electrical schools. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know which electrical training course will best suit your needs and qualifications.
This article will help break down what you need to qualify for electrical certification and training programs so that you can make an educated decision on which program might work best for you!
The first thing you need is electrical expertise. If you’re interested in electrical training courses, likely, electrical work is already something you are familiar with – either through experience or education (or both). You will need to make sure that your electrical knowledge and skills meet the minimum requirements for electrical certification before applying to any electrical school. Some common qualifications include:
- An associate degree in electrical technology/engineering or a similar field
- A high school diploma or GED
- At least two years of electrical installation experience
- Completion of relevant military course(s)
Once you have established yourself as an electrician, several different programs are available for prospective students to become certified electricians. These can be broken down into four main categories: electrical apprenticeship, electrical trade school associate degree programs, electrical trade school bachelor’s degree programs, and electrical college online courses.
Electrical apprenticeship: electrical apprenticeship programs are usually overseen by electrical unions and require a minimum of 144 hours of classroom instruction, at least 8000 hours working with hands-on electrical training to complete the program. Applicants must also read electrical schematics and blueprints at an eighth-grade level and have three years of experience installing wiring or performing electrical work.
Electrical trade school associate degree: electrical trade schools may offer either a two-year Associate Degree in Applied Science (AS) or a two-year Technical Certificate (TC). The AS is generally more comprehensive but requires four full-time semesters for completion, while the TC only takes two full-time semesters plus summer sessions, which varies from school to school. In addition, prospective students will need to have a high school diploma or GED, have a valid driver’s license, and be at least 18 years of age.
In addition to electrical theory courses such as electrical circuits, direct current (DC), alternating currents (AC), electrical code compliance, and electrical design engineering, the curriculum may include hands-on experience in working with electrical equipment like circuit breakers and measuring voltage drop using multimeters; wiring residential wall outlets; installing low-voltage lighting systems for homes; completing an internship that can allow students to gain on-the-job training specific to their career interests which could range from construction management work with electricians or telecommunication line installation with telecom technicians.
In conclusion, electrical training courses are available at technical schools, colleges, and online to help electrical technicians advance their careers.
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