How to Choose the Right Electrician Trade School near Cape Charles Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Cape Charles VA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple options to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Cape Charles VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Cape Charles VA can perform a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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 trade school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school 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 situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Cape Charles VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Cape Charles VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Cape Charles VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Cape Charles VA students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Cape Charles VA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Cape Charles VA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Cape Charles home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get 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 witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Cape Charles VA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrician Online Training Cape Charles Virginia
Selecting the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Online Training and wanting more information on the topic Trade Schools For Electricians. But as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program offers different possibilities 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. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Cape Charles VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Cape Charles, Virginia
Cape Charles, located close to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, was founded in 1884 as a planned community by railroad and ferry interests. In 1883, William Lawrence Scott became president of the New York. Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad Company (NYP&N), and purchased three plantations comprising approximately 2,509 acres from the heirs of former Virginia Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell. Of this land, 40 acres were ceded to the NYP&N, and 136 acres went to create the Town of Cape Charles (technically known as the "Municipal Corporation of Cape Charles"). Some of this land, named Cape Charles for the geographical cape found on the Point and headland to the south, Scott sold to the Railroad Company to serve as the southern terminus of the line on the Delmarva Peninsula from the Northeast states. In that same year, construction of the railroad began. In Cape Charles, the Railroad Company built a harbor port to handle steamships and freighters from Cape Charles to Norfolk.
The original Town was surveyed, platted, and laid out with approximately 136 acres divided into 644 equal lots. Seven wider avenues which run from east to west were named for Virginia statesmen and political leaders; the streets which run north and south were named for fruits. The original layout of the Town is still very visible today.[5]
Historian William G. Thomas writes, "At a cost of nearly $300,000, the New York, Pennsylvania, and Norfolk Railroad (N.Y.P. & N. R.R.) was dredging a new harbor out of a large fresh-water lagoon between King's and Old Plantation creeks in lower Northampton County, and Scott planned to develop a new town around it called Cape Charles City. The appellation "City" for any place on the Eastern Shore was romantic, a vision of the future that the railroad might make possible....In 1890, the United States Army Corps of Engineers dredged the harbor basin, its entrance, and a channel through Cherrystone Inlet and built stone jetties protecting the harbor outlet. By 1912 the Engineer Corps estimated that Cape Charles harbor handled 2,500,000 tons of freight a year."
Business Results 1 - 10 of 30
7 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
22 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
44 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
3 Reviews 