How to Find the Right Electrician Tech School near Mclean Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Mclean VA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Mclean VA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Virginia institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Mclean VA can undertake a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Mclean VA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Mclean VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Mclean VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Mclean VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Mclean VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Mclean VA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Mclean residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Mclean VA, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Top Electrician Trade Schools Mclean Virginia
Selecting the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Top Electrician Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic How To Be Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mclean VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McLean (/məˈkleɪn/ mə-KLAYN)[4] is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. McLean is home to many diplomats, businessmen, members of Congress, and high-ranking government officials partially due to its proximity to Washington, D.C. and the Central Intelligence Agency. It is the location of Hickory Hill, the former home of Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy. It is also the location of Salona, the former home of Light-Horse Harry Lee, the Revolutionary War hero. The community had an estimated total population of 53,673 in 2015, according to estimates prepared by the United States Census Bureau.[5] It is located between the Potomac River and the town of Vienna. McLean is known for its luxury homes and its nearby high-end shopping destinations: the Tysons Corner Center and the Tysons Galleria. The two McLean zip codes - 22101 and 22102 - are among the most expensive ZIP Codes in Virginia and the United States.[6] In 2018, data from the American Community Survey revealed that McLean was the 3rd wealthiest city in the United States, based on its poverty rate of 2.6% and its median household income of $190,258.[7]
The community received its name from John Roll McLean, the former publisher and owner of The Washington Post. Along with Stephen Benton Elkins and French aristocrat Jean-Pierre Guenard, in 1902 he bought the charter for the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad. Completed in 1906, it connected the area with Washington, D.C. McLean named a railroad station costing $1,500, of which $500 was raised locally, after himself where the rail line (traveling on the present route of Old Dominion Drive) crossed the old Chain Bridge Road.[8] The community itself was founded in 1910, when the communities of Lewinsville and Langley merged.
McLean is located at 38°56′03″N 77°10′39″W / 38.93417°N 77.17750°W / 38.93417; -77.17750 (38.9342776, -77.1774801) at an elevation of 285 feet (87 m).[3][9] Located on the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) in Northern Virginia, central McLean is 8 miles (13 km) northwest of downtown Washington, D.C. and 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Fairfax, the county seat.[10]
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