How to Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Sterling Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Sterling VA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many points to evaluate. For example, many students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Sterling VA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Virginia colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Sterling VA can perform a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving costs from Sterling VA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Sterling VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. 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 an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have attained 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 an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Sterling VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Sterling VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Sterling VA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Sterling VA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Sterling residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback regarding 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 have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Sterling VA, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrical Technician Courses Online Sterling Virginia
Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Technician Courses Online and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Technician Training. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Sterling VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Sterling, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place (CDP) in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 United States Census was 27,822.[1] It is located northwest of Herndon, east of Ashburn, and west of Great Falls, and includes part of Washington Dulles International Airport and the former AOL corporate headquarters. Sterling is also home to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office LWX (serving the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area), as well as the Sterling Field Support Center, the National Weather Service test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.
In the beginning of 1962, large farms made up the 1,762 acres (713 ha) of what today is called Sterling Park. Route 7, also known as Leesburg Pike, bordered what used to be Jesse Hughes's dairy farm. Hughes arrived in Loudoun County in the early 20th century and was a longtime head of the county's Democrats. Fred Franklin Tavenner, who was somewhat related to Benjamin Franklin, operated vast stretches of Sterling Farm at the southwest fringes of Sterling Park. Tavenner had purchased land from Albert Shaw, Jr., who had inherited it from his father Albert B. Shaw, editor and publisher of the American Review of Reviews. One of Shaw's spreads, totaling 1,640 acres (660 ha), was called "The Experimental Farm" because it was one of the first area farms to receive a U.S. grant for applying "scientific methods", as Tavenner called them. According to Tavenner, refugees from the Soviet Union ran the farm while Shaw remained in New York City.[2]
Dulles International Airport and the extension of water and sewer lines to the airport began to change the landscape when construction started in 1959. Land prices rose from an average $125 per acre ($310/ha) to $500 per acre ($1,200/ha). During the same year, Marvin T. Broyhill, Jr., and his father made plans to develop land in the airport area under the company M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corporation. In late 1961, they decided to buy and incorporated Sterling Park Development Corporation with his son Marvin T. Broyhill, president, and a cousin, Thomas J. Broyhill, as vice president. Between April 28, and December 29, 1961 of that year, they purchased 1,762 acres (713 ha) in 14 parcels for $2,115,784. For the 226-acre (91 ha) Hughes farm along Route 7, they paid $1,700 per acre ($4,200/ha).[2]
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