How to Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near Brandywine Maryland
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Brandywine MD. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Brandywine MD. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Maryland vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Maryland community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maryland colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Brandywine MD can perform a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving 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 may be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Brandywine MD are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Brandywine MD region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Brandywine MD program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Brandywine MD graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Brandywine MD area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Brandywine MD electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Brandywine residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out 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 in the evening or on weekends near Brandywine MD, confirm 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 allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Accredited Electrician Degree Programs Brandywine Maryland
Picking the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Electrician Degree Programs and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certificate Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Brandywine MD.
More Electric Locations in Maryland
Brandywine, Maryland
Brandywine is the name of an unincorporated area in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, that refers both to a census-designated place (CDP) and a zip code area which is much larger (20613), whose areas overlap.[1] The population of Brandywine at the 2010 U.S. Census was 6,719 for the CDP,[2] and the population of ZIP code 20613 was 11,860 in 2010.[3]
The CDP and town are adjacent to the southern border of Prince George's County, lying east and west of busy Maryland Route 5/U.S. Route 301, which merge at Brandywine. Brandywine CDP is bordered by Accokeek to the west, Clinton and Rosaryville to the north, Croom to the northeast, and Cedarville to the southeast, all in Prince George's County. Waldorf in Charles County borders Brandywine to the south. The Brandywine zip code area encompasses parts of both counties and includes Cedarville and Baden.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,410 people, 478 households, and 377 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 320.4 people per square mile (123.7/km2). There were 501 housing units at an average density of 113.8/sq mi (44.0/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.24% White, 38.23% African American, 1.13% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.
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