Electrician Schools in Georgia: Launching Your Electrical Career

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Electrician Schools in Georgia: Launching Your Electrical Career

ZenElectrical
September 9, 2024
9 Min Read

Georgia, The “Peach State,” has all you need to make entering this difficult and important career path possible and profitable. Georgia needs fresh people enthusiastic about learning how to become electricians.

You can be sure that the time you invest in training will pay off because there is a rising need for these experienced tradesmen in Georgia.

According to Research and Markets, Georgia is one of the ten states comprising 61% of the overall U.S. construction market.

Additionally, from 2020 to 2030, the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop job search website forecasts a 9% growth rate for electricians in Georgia.

On employment forums, there is undeniable proof in favor of this. On Indeed.com and Zip Recruiter, there are several job listings for electricians in Georgia.

Continue reading to see how you may establish yourself in this important field.

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Requirements For A Career In Electrical

Unlike most states, Georgia only licenses electrical contractors through the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, not journeyman electricians. Electrical work can only be done legally by licensed contractors or people who work for people with valid licenses.

Most of Georgia’s electricians complete an apprenticeship that involves classroom training before working independently as journeymen for a general contractor under the legal conditions of the journeyman level. Before becoming electrical contractors, most workers receive experience as journeyman electricians.

If you decide to work as a self-employed electrical contractor, you must obtain your license. To qualify, you must have worked for at least four years.

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Certification Available For Electricians

States differ in their licensing requirements, and some have minimum educational qualifications. Other states, like Georgia, do not have any academic requirements or merely require classroom training as an apprenticeship component.

You may normally choose from a variety of degree and certificate programs when it comes to a college education for electricians. Additionally, although most electricians attend an apprenticeship rather than a college program, having a certificate or degree might help you stand out when applying for apprentice positions. The most notable differences if you decide to start at a technical college are the length of time required to complete each type of degree and the associated costs. The most often used programs are:

3 to 6-month certificate program
One-year-long diploma program
A two-year associate’s degree
Four years for a bachelor’s degree

The cost increases logically with the length of the program. It would help if you had a four-year bachelor’s degree to become an electrical engineer. Consider Georgia Tech’s Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering program if this career path interests you.

Formal education often, but only sometimes, pays off by increasing income.

How To Select The Ideal School For Your Education

When selecting the best college and program, several factors must be considered.

School Tuition

The cost of tuition at each of the Georgia Technical College System institutions mentioned above is quite consistent: in-state students pay $100 per credit hour, and out-of-state students pay $200. However, each institution will have some cost differences, so check all the associated expenses.

Books and tools are always an additional expense, but you get to keep them once you start working in your profession of choice. The Free Application for Federal Student Help (FAFSA) form is available online at fafsa.ed.gov for any students who are interested in applying for federal (Pell Grant) and state (HOPE Career Grant) help.

An estimated 11 months and $23,000 are needed to complete the electrical program at Lincoln Tech.

Program Duration

As mentioned above, you can have a highly specialized certificate, a more general diploma, or an associate degree. Most certifications need 12 credits and can be completed in one semester. Some courses will take a little longer because they are 20 credits—programs leading to a diploma or associate’s degree normally last two years.

Benefits

If you wish to be an electrician, formal education has advantages. Although there is no standard school requirement for entry into the sector in Georgia, most firms prefer that prospective electricians undergo an apprenticeship, which calls for some formal classroom training. A formal education like an associate of applied science in Electrical Construction Technology can frequently be earned with that formal education. Higher starting salaries and lifetime earnings are commonly associated with technical training.

Online versus offline

People in Georgia’s rural locations or those with obligations that make it difficult to travel to a school campus may opt to complete an online certificate program to become an electrician. The success of this kind of autonomous curriculum depends entirely on you. Penn Foster and Ashworth College offer online electrician courses.

Online classes are great for those looking for entry-level jobs or entry-level employees looking to enhance their compensation. Traditional in-person courses are often available across the state if you know your learning style benefits from individualized teaching.

Difficulty level

The goal of electrician training programs is to prepare graduates for entry-level jobs in the industry in the residential, commercial, or industrial sectors. According to the BLS, technical training for apprentices covers electrical theory, reading blueprints, mathematics, compliance with electrical code standards, and first aid and safety procedures. Additionally, students may receive specific instruction in elevators, fire alarm systems, communications, and soldering.

How To Enroll In Electrical Schools?

Although each technical institution has its procedures, the process generally starts with a visit to the website and an online admissions application. You may also submit a paper application by mail or by stopping by the school’s admission office. You must submit a $25 application fee and several documents to enroll in any Georgia Technical College System program.

The following steps make up the application procedure in general:

Apply in its whole.
Pay the application fee.
For in-state tuition, you must provide proof of residency.
Obtain a sealed copy of your GED or high school transcript.
Place test results in.
Apply for housing on campus, if necessary.

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Electrical Schools in Georgia

A reduced apprenticeship may be available to workers with electrical experience who served in the military or worked in construction. A technical school is where some electricians begin their careers. Circuitry, safety procedures, and fundamental electrical knowledge are all included in curricula offered by numerous technical colleges. Most of the time, graduates of these programs gain credit toward their apprenticeship.

Georgia offers many training options to aspiring electricians, including academic programs and apprenticeships. Multiple entities, like unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs.

Some electrical contractors offer training programs that combine technical and on-the-job instruction but are not recognized as apprenticeship programs. Although most individuals start their apprenticeships right away, some decide to first enroll in technical colleges or trade schools.

According to the BLS, some electricians enroll in apprenticeship programs after serving as assistants. The Home Builders Institute offers a pre-apprenticeship certificate training (PACT) program for eight construction professionals, including electricians.

Training Programs in Georgia

Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Atlanta and Georgia Chapters
Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Macon, and Savannah in cooperation with local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) chapters (links below)

Electrical Technology Programs at Colleges in Georgia:

Athens Technical College
Chattahoochee Technical College
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Lincoln Tech
North Georgia Technical College
Ogeechee Technical College

Georgia Electrician Salaries

You should know what to anticipate from your time, effort, energy, and financial investment before paying for technical education to become an electrician.

In other words, how much money can you reasonably anticipate making in Georgia as an electrical professional?

Based on your experience, Payscale.com data offers a response. The following is Georgia’s 2022 median electrician salary:

$46,900 for the first two years.
2-4 years in between $57,500
4-6 years in senior year: $63,800
over seven years: $92,000

Conclusion

Although there are few electrical schools in Georgia, and accredited programs are one of your options, accreditation could give you more faith in your technical institution.

Alternatively, you might apprentice under a licensed electrician and learn from them. You will learn skills and develop a drive to obtain your license as that electrician’s apprentice or assistant.

Georgia is where you may get the training you need to become a successful electrician. You can find possibilities everywhere you look!