How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Training School near Fincastle Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Fincastle VA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to examine. For instance, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found several that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician 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 instructional options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several options to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Fincastle VA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Virginia junior or community colleges, commonly 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 previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Fincastle VA can undertake a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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 important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program 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 situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting costs from Fincastle VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Fincastle VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 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 chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Fincastle VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Fincastle VA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Fincastle VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies 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 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, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Fincastle VA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Fincastle residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Fincastle VA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be 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, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Technician Schools Fincastle Virginia
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Technician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Requirements. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Fincastle VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Fincastle, Virginia
The town of Fincastle was originally settled by Scotch-Irish and German immigrants from Pennsylvania who arrived in the region in the mid-18th century. John Miller erected a sawmill which became the nucleus of the early village of Fincastle. In 1770, Botetourt County was separated from Augusta County, and Miller's home was selected as the meeting place for the court. Two years later, Israel Christian donated 45 acres (18 ha) of land and laid out the streets and lots for the new town of Fincastle. The town's name was selected to honor George, Lord Fincastle, the eldest son of Virginia's Lieutenant Governor, Lord Dunmore.[6]
In 1773, the first log courthouse was built on the designated court square at the center of Fincastle. Around the same time, a brick church was constructed on land donated by Israel Christian to serve as the established (Anglican) house of worship for the town. The church closed after the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in Virginia during the Revolutionary War and was later occupied by Presbyterians who rebuilt the structure to its present Greek Revival style.[7] By the early-19th century, the village had grown into an important regional center of commerce, especially for the wool industry, aided by the construction of taverns, hotels, and shops. A second courthouse was erected in 1818 and replaced by a third, a larger brick structure of Greek Revival style in 1850. This courthouse continues to serve Botetourt County today, having been rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1970.
The Bowyer-Holladay House, Breckinridge Mill, Fincastle Historic District, Greenfield, Hawthorne Hall, Prospect Hill, Santillane, Wheatland Manor, and Wiloma are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 19
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
12 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
2 Reviews 3 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 