How to Choose the Best Electrician Trade School near Dayton Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Dayton VA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Dayton VA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Virginia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are offered by Virginia junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Dayton VA can undertake a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
An alternative that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Dayton VA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Dayton VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 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 even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Dayton VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools 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 low completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Dayton VA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Dayton VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Dayton VA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Dayton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Dayton VA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Training Programs Dayton Virginia
Picking the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Training Programs and wanting more information on the topic Electric College. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Dayton VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Dayton, Virginia
Dayton is located at 38°24′59″N 78°56′22″W / 38.41639°N 78.93944°W / 38.41639; -78.93944 (38.416323, -78.939440).[3] The town is approximately two miles southwest of Harrisonburg and two miles northeast of Bridgewater.
The town of Dayton is one of the oldest settled communities in Rockingham County, and is the county's second oldest incorporated town, after Bridgewater. The first settler in Dayton was Daniel Harrison (c. 1702-1770), whose family settled along Cooks Creek, north of downtown. Daniel was the eldest son of Isaiah Harrison and second wife Abigail and was born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York. Daniel's brother Thomas Harrison founded Harrisonburg several miles to the northeast. They and their three brothers had migrated from New York to Delaware and then to Orange County Virginia before settling in the Shenandoah Valley.[4]
The family homestead, a two-story stone house, has been owned and maintained since 1977 by a private, non-profit organization, Fort Harrison, Inc.[5] The town was known as Rifeville or Rifetown[6] until 1833.[7]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 12
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
23 Reviews 
7 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
4 Reviews 