Which online college provides the best Electronics Technician training?

I'm in looking to get into the electronics field as a technician. I am open to pursuing a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology to accomplish this goal, be it an associates or bachelors. I am also open to pursuing a diploma or certificate that would enable me to secure a job as an electronics technician.

I would like some input from anyone with experience in my field of interest.

What course, program, or college would be best for someone like myself?

Is it possible for someone like myself to enter the electronics technician field successfully with online training?

Please advise.

 

CIE-World College has a very good reputation - and I'm aware of people who have done well with degrees from here.
They charge by the semester, so the more coursework you can complete in a semester, the more you save. They offer certificates, associate's and bachelor's degrees. I'm not qualified to offer job advice.


Cleveland Institute of Electronics Distance Learning Courses

Johann

 

Thanks Johann.

Any recent CIE-World College graduates care to share an opinion on the training/education they provide?

 

Not a RECENT grad but...

I received a diploma in Electronics Engineering in 1981 and an AAS degree in 1983 from CIE. The programs were very well designed and I learned a lot. CIE was founded in 1934. They know exactly what they are doing.

This was old-fashioned correspondence study, of course, though to tell the truth, I personally think correspondence is equal or superior to on-line learning when it comes to making the student master the material. Lectures are pretty useless compared to wrestling with problems on your own.

I know of two other schools that offer d/l electronics technology programs. These are Penn Foster, formerly ICS, and Grantham. Both schools are very old. Penn Foster dates from the 19th century and Grantham has been around since I was a kid and probably much longer.

Now...what kind of technology do you want to do? A CIE diploma will work in Broadcasting but might not work so well for a major Defense contractor like Raytheon.

 

Any entry level job that requires an Associate Degree in Electronics and maybe a few additional certifications would be perfect. I would prefer not to work in broadcasting as I do not believe it would prepare me for future work in servicing and repairing electronic equipment/devices.

Heres a list of jobs that I want to pursue after my inititial training with CIE. For what its worth I plan on getting a BEET or BSEET in the future as well.

Appliance Repair Technician
Appliance Service and Repair Technician
Cell Phone Technician
Biomedical Technician
Network Repair Technician

 

Well...you don't need a bachelors degree for any of those positions. An AAS might be nice but a career diploma and demonstrated electronics aptitude will probably meet your needs.

The certificates you might find helpful are the CET and possibly the General Radiotelephone Operator License. None of the jobs you list requires the license but it carries weight in the RF world.

If you are really interested in this kind of work, might I suggest trying out ham radio? Do it for the fun of it, of course, but you would be amazed at the number of techs who appear on the local 2-meter repeater.

 

One other thought...if you are not math-phobic and nowhere near an engineering college, you MIGHT think about California National University CNU - California National University You can get a DETC accredited bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. But the school isn't ABET accredited which might limit the value of the degree to an entry level engineer.

 

nosborne - I will definitely get the CET and GROL certs along the way and review CNU's BSEE program as well.

Thanks for the advice and insight, bro.

 

I've worked with many aerospace test lab technicians over the years and discussed qualifications with them and their managers. Very often the need is to set up tests, install instrumentation on test specimens, be able to operate equipment such as oscilloscopes and high speed cameras, and log data.

The technicians I worked with rarely had bachelors degrees and some had AA degrees but all had training at technical colleges or community colleges prior to being hired.

Technicians are in demand by some aerospace companies and in my area and by wind, solar, and battery companies.

Salaries can be pretty good in these areas.

 

Thanks Ian.

I'll be sure to check local aerospace companies for openings and qualifications.

 

"...and by wind, solar, and battery companies."

Hm. That sounds interesting even to me. Maybe when I retire I'll look into it for part-time work.

 

I'm curious if, as an Electronic Tech, you'd need/want it to be ABET accredited? I ask because I've always wanted to take the PE/EIT exam, but I believe you need an ABET accredited school. Sorry to change the subject, but I'm thinking of CIE-WC.

 

Join the Navy. They have a job (or 'rate' in Navy speak) called Electronics Technician. I was an ET when I did my time in the Navy; we got great training all the way from basic electronics up to large radio and radar systems. There are also a ton of advanced schools for other equipment and processes that can get you paid very well when you get out. I was able to use my training to fulfill the core requirements for an AAS in Electronics at TESC then I just had to CLEP out of the general ed. If you are a Nuclear ET you can get a Bachelors from TESC in nuclear electronics something.

After I got my AAS I kept on testing and finished the BA in Liberal Studies. The best part is all of my CLEP/DSST tests were covered and the tech/grad fees were covered by the GI Bill. TESC wanted me to complete one class with them in order to have the GI Bill cover the fees for the BA so I took a TECEP (which the GI Bill paid for) and got out the door with both degrees having paid only the $75 application fee and a few months worth of Instant Cert subscription. Now I have all of my remaining GI Bill to cover my MBA so I will have paid very little for all three degrees. You can do this too!

As an interesting side note a lot of this training is 'self directed.' We marched to school everyday and were there all day but most of the learning was self directed on a computer station that had an electronics board with interchangeable parts for hands on learning. There were experienced ETs in every class if we needed help. When it came test time, or time to do a major lab, you just attended the next one with openings. There is a maximum allowed time to complete the program and you CAN fail out if you are not performing or put on mandatory extra study. Most students completed the program ahead of time and some highly motivated people completed the program MUCH quicker than their peers (you can attend extra study on a voluntary basis if you want). Advanced schools are traditional classroom style.

 

Late-breaking news. CIE/WC has been put on Show Cause by its accreditor, DETC. Just announced a few days ago on the DETC site. I have no idea why. Just thought those interested should be aware.

Very big surprise to me! :shock:

Johann

 

Thanks for the update.


DATAfiend - Excelsior College offers an ABET accredited Bachelors in Electronics Engineering. You may want to give it a look.

 

Me too. It's the first issue I've heard about them, well, ever.

 

Appreciate the advice.