If you plan to take part-time electrician courses, you should first make sure that you understand the laws in your jurisdiction governing the licensing of electricians. In many areas, any part-time electrician courses that you take must be approved by a licensing board if they are to count toward the educational requirements necessary to enter the trade. Once you have determined that specific courses meet your licensing board or union’s requirements, you should investigate logistical matters such as course locations and scheduling as well as tuition and fee costs, all of which should influence your choice of part-time electrician courses.
In some places, such as the United States, taking part-time electrician courses is a standard part of the apprenticeship program necessary to become a licensed electrician. Typically, local unions partner with vocational schools and community colleges to offer part-time electrician courses on weekends or evenings so as to allow apprentice electricians to complete necessary classes while they are not scheduled to work. If you are in such an apprenticeship program, ask your local union for a list of approved course providers.
If you live in an area that does not require you to obtain a license before performing electrical work or does not mandate that you completed an apprenticeship, you should still investigate the quality of any part-time electrician courses that you consider. Find out if the school that offers the courses is appropriately licensed and accredited in your jurisdiction. You should also find out if the school’s offerings are approved by local or national trade associations or organizations for electricians. It is also important that you ask the school about the qualifications of its instructors. Ideally, those who teach the courses should have significant experience as electricians or hold academic credentials in related fields.
Review the course offerings from several schools so you can select the school that provides courses at convenient times and locations. You should also pay attention to the cost of tuition and fees and whether you will be able to get financial assistance to help pay for part-time electrician courses. In some cases, you may even be able to take certain courses online, which can be a big help if you are already working as an apprentice or trainee electrician. Otherwise, make sure that the courses that you take are conveniently located to where you live or in the area where you typically work.
