Learn How To Be An Electrician Hyattsville MD

How to Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Hyattsville Maryland

Hyattsville MD electrician working on circuit boardThe first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Hyattsville MD. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.

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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options

Hyattsville MD electrician on power line poleThere are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Hyattsville MD. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Maryland trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Maryland junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Maryland institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Hyattsville MD electrician wiring boxElectricians in Hyattsville MD can undertake a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:

  • An experience requirement
  • Passing a written exam
  • Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online

Hyattsville MD student attending electrician school onlineA possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Hyattsville MD are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Questions to ask Hyattsville MD electrician schoolsOnce you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Hyattsville MD area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician trade 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. Make certain that the Hyattsville MD school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing 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 may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hyattsville MD graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Hyattsville MD area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Hyattsville MD electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hyattsville home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hyattsville MD, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Learn How To Be An Electrician Hyattsville Maryland

Hyattsville MD electricians working on power linesPicking the right electrical training program 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 Learn How To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic How Long Does It Take To Become An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Hyattsville MD.

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    Hyattsville, Maryland

    The city is named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt (1799–1884), who purchased his first parcel of land in the area in 1845. Hyatt opened a store and began mail delivery, officially naming the nascent community "Hyattsville" in his 1859 application to become postmaster. The community's location at the intersection of the Washington and Baltimore Turnpike (modern day US 1) and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line made the land attractive for development. In the years following the Civil War, Hyatt and other local landowners subdivided their properties and sold lots, and the population of Hyattsville grew. Hyattsville was incorporated as a city on April 7, 1886.[7]

    The historic district of the city is home to a number of Victorian houses built in the late 1880s and Sears bungalows and Arts & Crafts houses built between the wars (late 1910s and early 1940s). Historic Hyattsville is roughly bounded by East West Highway to the north; Route 1 to the east; the 38th Street Neighborhood Park to the south, and Queens Chapel Road to the west.[8]

    The City of Hyattsville consists of six subdivisions; Hyattsville Hills, Downtown Hyattsville, Kirkwood, Queens Chapel Manor, Castle Manor, and University Hills. Historic Hyattsville reportedly consists of the Hyattsville Hills, Downtown Hyattsville, and Castle Manor subdivisions.

     

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