Education Required To Be An Electrician Severn VA - Find Electrician Training Near You

How to Pick the Best Electrician Trade School near Severn Virginia

Severn VA electrician working on circuit board The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Severn VA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of points to evaluate. For example, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options

Severn VA electrician on power line pole There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Severn VA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. 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 involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Virginia institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Severn VA electrician wiring box Electricians in Severn VA can carry out a wide range of functions, 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 be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online

Severn VA student attending electrician school online An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical option for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Severn VA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online 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 cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Questions to ask Severn VA electrician schools Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Severn VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Severn VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering 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 may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 broader list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Severn VA students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Severn VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently 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 Severn VA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Severn home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive 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 observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Severn VA, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Education Required To Be An Electrician Severn Virginia

Severn VA electricians working on power lines Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Education Required To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Trade Schools. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Severn VA.