Electrical Technician

The Electrical Technician programme provides students with basic theoretical knowledge and skills in the installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of residential and commercial electrical apparatus and systems, DC and AC motors and controls, and electrical distribution panels. Instruction in the principles of electronics and electrical systems, wiring, power transmission, safety, appliances, estimation, testing, inspection, and applicable codes and standards is reinforced throughout.

The programme prepares graduates for a career in the electrician field, commercial and residential, at an apprentice level, and to begin working under a Master Electrician toward the hours required for state licensing. Students train on a variety of electrical equipment, wiring, and mock-up construction scenarios. Required hours of on-the-job training beyond the programme are necessary to apply for Texas state licensing.

The programme includes 450 hours of hands-on lab training in residential wiring, commercial wiring, motor controls and lighting systems, preparation for seven career certifications, 18 career skill badges, and morning or evening courses. NCCER Core and Levels 1-4 exam fees are included in tuition if taken within three months of completion, and OSHA-10 is available at additional cost.

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 and received its initial accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education in 1991. It trains students at eight Texas campuses and online, and its campuses are authorized testing sites for the National Healthcareer Association and Certiport. Students earn skill badges as they progress, and SCI Connect, the school’s career services portal, lets students build a profile with their resume, skill badges and videos of them performing job tasks for employers who post jobs there.

Before you start. Prior to the start date, you must visit the school and tour the campus (if you are enrolling in a programme with on-campus classes) and complete an interview with a licensed representative in the Admissions department.

Age and education. You must be at least 16 years of age. An applicant who is under 18 at the time of admission must provide proof of a high school diploma or GED and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian, who co-signs the enrollment agreement. You must provide verifiable official documentation of completion of secondary education within 21 calendar days of starting school: a high school diploma or transcript showing the graduation date, a home school transcript, a recognised high school equivalency certificate, an associate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognised by the US Department of Education, or a foreign credential evaluated by a NACES member or a TEA-listed evaluation service.

Criminal history. Prospective students must provide criminal history information. Anyone with a convicted or pending felony violent crime, a convicted or pending serious felony drug crime, any sex offense conviction or pending felony sexual case, or who is a registered sex offender is not eligible for enrollment in any programme. SCI reserves the right to conduct criminal background checks.

English. SCI does not provide ESL instruction; classes are taught in English. Students whose primary language is not English must document English proficiency, for example graduation from an English-speaking secondary institution, a TOEFL iBT score of 61, an IELTS level of 6, or a grade of C in an intermediate ESL course.

SCI admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

Electrical Technician requirements. Applicants sign a release for a criminal history and employability background check conducted by the school; students who do not pass will have their enrollment terminated. A valid, state-issued driver’s license is strongly recommended because it will be required for employment. Students pay out of pocket for the Electrical Technician tool kit.

Shifts. Electrical Technician classes run Monday to Friday in a morning shift (8:00 am to 1:40 pm) or an evening shift (6:00 pm to 11:20 pm). The estimated completion time is 27 weeks.

Modules. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously; the externship module is six weeks. For ground programmes on the flex schedule, assignments and in-person lab classes are scheduled on two set days a week, and lectures are completed online through video instruction that can be watched at any time of day before the hands-on labs. Schedules are representative and may vary by campus.

Tuition: $13,950.00; mandatory fees: $260.00; total: $14,210.00.

Graduates may work in roles such as electrician helper, general service and repairs technician, maintenance technician, electrician apprentice, commercial/industrial helper, general electrician helper, and controls technician.

Electrical technicians work in residential, commercial, industrial, and manufacturing settings, for private companies, government agencies, or as self-employed contractors.

Career services. Career Services are available to active students and graduates. Staff strive to meet every student before graduation for an exit interview that includes a customised job-search profile, an entry-level resume and a mock interview; they provide resume and interview help and work with local employers to match their needs with graduates’ skills. SCI does not guarantee employment or a specific starting salary.

Orientation. Before beginning their programmes, all new students attend an orientation session to hear about the campus and the learning experience and to meet the administrative staff, faculty and other students. Campus department directors explain the student support available and clarify students’ responsibilities and expectations. Students registered for distance-education courses also attend an online orientation that introduces the learning platform and the standards for postings, plagiarism, online etiquette and attendance.

Classes. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously (the AAS in Nursing runs in 15-week terms), and the externship module, where a programme has one, is six weeks. Learning new material may require at least five additional outside hours for every 20 hours spent in lecture or laboratory. To graduate you must complete all courses within the maximum time frame and earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduation ceremonies are typically held twice a year.

Support. Student services include tutoring, attendance advising and academic advising, and SCI gives referrals to community resources for housing, childcare, employment, transportation, mental health services and alcohol and drug counselling. SCI does not provide housing. Students receive skill badges to mark milestones and help market their skills.