How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Vocational School near Reston Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Reston VA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For instance, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when selecting an electrician trade 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 training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Reston VA. You can choose 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 other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Virginia institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Reston VA can undertake a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An option that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Reston VA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Reston VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Reston VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 help Reston VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Reston VA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Reston VA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Reston home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased 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 sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Reston VA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrical Vocational School Reston Virginia
Picking the best electrician trade school 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 Electrical Vocational School and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Schools Online. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Reston VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Reston, Virginia
Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia. Founded in 1964, Reston was influenced by the Garden City movement that emphasized planned, self-contained communities that intermingled green space, residential neighborhoods, and commercial development.[3] The intent of Reston's founder, Robert E. Simon, was to build a town that would revolutionize post–World War II concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in suburban America.[4] In 2018, Reston was ranked as the Best Places to Live in Virginia by Money magazine for its expanses of parks, lakes, golf courses, and bridle paths as well as the numerous shopping and dining opportunities in Reston Town Center.[5] Beginning in 2017, however, high-density commercial and residential developments along the Dulles Toll Road began to spark concerns among residents about local government's ability to ensure that key infrastructure, including roads, schools, and parks, would remain in sync with the accelerating pace of new construction.[6]
In the early days of Colonial America, the land on which Reston sits was part of the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast grant by King Charles II to Lord Thomas Fairfax that extended from the Potomac River to the Rappahannock. The property remained in the Fairfax family until they sold it in 1852.[8]
Carl A. Wiehle and William Dunn bought 6,449 acres in northern Fairfax County along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad line in 1886, later dividing the land between them, with Wiehle retaining the acreage north of the railroad line. Wiehle envisioned founding a town on the property, including a hotel, parks, and community center, but completed only a handful of homes before his death in 1901.[8]
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