How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Trade School near Woodbine Maryland
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Woodbine MD. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have identified some that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Woodbine MD. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maryland vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Maryland junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Maryland institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Woodbine MD can perform a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An option that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Woodbine MD are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Woodbine MD area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 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 important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Woodbine MD program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Woodbine MD students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Woodbine MD area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Woodbine MD 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 driving distance of your Woodbine residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Woodbine MD, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Training For Electrician Woodbine Maryland
Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Training For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic College Electrical Training. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Woodbine MD.
More Electric Locations in Maryland
Woodbine, Maryland
Woodbine is an unincorporated rural community in Howard and Carroll counties, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. It is located southeast of Frederick, west of Baltimore, north of Washington, D.C., and east of Mount Airy. The community was named for the woodbine plant, which grew in the community in fields and along riverbanks.
Woodbine is located at the juncture of the Patapsco River, the B&O Railroad, and the road that runs north from Lisbon to Winfield on Liberty Road (Maryland Route 26) and through to Westminster, Maryland. The original road from Baltimore to Frederick runs just north of Lisbon, following a slight ridge line westward half way to Woodbine (the road was finally paved in the 1960s). This was the original trail that existed before the National Road was built (the road that runs through Lisbon).
During the Civil War, Confederate cavalry crossed the Patapsco River at Woodbine and at Hoods Mill, just a few miles east on the river and the B&O Railroad, scouting the Union Army that was on its way to the Battle of Gettysburg. The main road at that time ran just west of the existing road and up the west side of a creek that runs south and that joins with the Patapsco River just 50 yards west of the existing road. That original road, now partly unused, runs north 100 yards from the river and then Eastward (Gum Road) to join up with the existing road today. There was no bridge across the Patapsco River at that time, just a ford in the river.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 292
18 Reviews 
12 Reviews 2 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
11 Reviews 2 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
1 Reviews 