How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Mount Solon Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Mount Solon VA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Mount Solon VA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Virginia technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Virginia institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Mount Solon VA can carry out a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) 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 delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Mount Solon VA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Mount Solon VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Mount Solon VA school and program are 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 receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 finish the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Mount Solon VA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade 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 within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Mount Solon VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Mount Solon VA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Mount Solon home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Mount Solon VA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Vocational Training Mount Solon Virginia
Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Vocational Training and wanting more information on the topic Technical School For Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Mount Solon VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Mount Solon, Virginia
Mount Solon is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia, United States, 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Harrisonburg and 20 miles (32 km) north of Staunton. Mount Solon is located in the 6th US Congressional District. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The earliest settlers of Mount Solon were the Scots-Irish and the Germans. In 1799, James Cochran, of minor notable political fame further south in North Carolina, established a small mill and residence on the small creek, which would eventually run through the center of town. Owing to the mill's and the town's centrality between the two growing markets of Harrisonburg and Staunton, several businesses sprang up, and the once-isolated town began to prosper. In the early 1900s, there existed a Ford dealership, a gas station, the Mount Solon Bank, Cochran's mill, and a few other shops gathered around an expanding downtown. Moreover, the ill-fated Chesapeake and Western Railroad (C&W) ran an important rail line through Mount Solon, thus ensuring secure connections to a variety of external agricultural markets throughout the region. The Great Depression, however, severely impacted both the Shenandoah Valley and the town of Mount Solon. Following the closure of the old mill in the late 1930s, many townspeople left Mount Solon in search of better jobs. When the C&W withdrew its support, and was later consolidated with Norfolk Southern, the once-thriving little town became a ghost town virtually overnight. Today, only a few dilapidated local shops remain in town and few indicators of Mount Solon's former glory days remain intact. The Old Mount Solon Bank presents a fine example of postbellum architecture and the recently restored Lincoln Manor House at Spring Meadows Farm provides an excellent illustration of a Shenandoah Valley plantation house.
During the Valley Campaign of the American Civil War, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson held a meeting with General Richard Ewell in Mount Solon on May 17, 1862. Gen. Jackson left the Battle of McDowell for Mount Solon where he met up with Gen. Ewell.
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