How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Goodview Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Goodview VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For instance, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Goodview VA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by Virginia junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Virginia institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Goodview VA can carry out a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling expenses from Goodview VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Goodview VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Goodview VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Goodview VA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Goodview VA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Goodview VA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Goodview home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding 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 hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Goodview VA, check that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Electrical Training Programs Goodview Virginia
Picking the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Training Programs and wanting more information on the topic Study Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Goodview VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Bedford County, Virginia
Bedford County is a United States county located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its county seat is the town of Bedford, which was an independent city from 1968 until rejoining the county in 2013.[1]
Bedford County was created in 1753 from parts of Lunenburg County, and several changes in alignment were made until the present borders were established in 1786. The county was named in honor of John Russell, an English statesman and fourth Duke of Bedford.
Bedford County was established by European Americans on December 13, 1753 from parts of Lunenburg County. Later in 1756, a portion of Albemarle County lying south of the James River was added. The county is named for John Russell, the fourth Duke of Bedford, who was a Secretary of State of Great Britain.[3] In 1782, Campbell County was formed from eastern Bedford County and the county seat was moved from New London to Liberty (now Bedford). Also in 1786, the portion of Bedford County south of the Staunton (Roanoke) River was taken with part of Henry County to form Franklin County.
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