How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Alexandria Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Alexandria VA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within driving range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Alexandria VA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Alexandria VA can perform a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Alexandria VA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Alexandria VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Alexandria VA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Alexandria VA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Alexandria VA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Alexandria VA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Alexandria residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Alexandria VA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Journeyman Electrician School Alexandria Virginia
Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Journeyman Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical College Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Alexandria VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,966,[5] and in 2016, the population was estimated to be 155,810.[6] Located along the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 7 miles (11 km) south of downtown Washington, D.C.
Like the rest of Northern Virginia, as well as Central Maryland, modern Alexandria has been influenced by its proximity to the U.S. capital. It is largely populated by professionals working in the federal civil service, in the U.S. military, or for one of the many private companies which contract to provide services to the federal government. One of Alexandria's largest employers is the U.S. Department of Defense. Another is the Institute for Defense Analyses. In 2005, the United States Patent and Trademark Office moved to Alexandria, and in 2017, so did the headquarters of the National Science Foundation.
The historic center of Alexandria is known as Old Town. With its concentration of boutiques, restaurants, antique shops and theaters, it is a major draw for all who live in Alexandria as well for visitors. Like Old Town, many Alexandria neighborhoods are compact and walkable. It is the 7th largest and highest-income independent city in Virginia.
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