Electrical Technician Schools New Kent VA

How to Choose the Best Electrician Training School near New Kent Virginia

New Kent VA electrician working on circuit boardThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near New Kent VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover 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 training options that are available.

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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options

New Kent VA electrician on power line poleThere are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near New Kent VA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Virginia colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

New Kent VA electrician wiring boxElectricians in New Kent VA can perform a wide range of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) as well as 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 educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools

New Kent VA student attending electrician school onlineA possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While 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. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling costs from New Kent VA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Questions to ask New Kent VA electrician schoolsOnce you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the New Kent VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the New Kent VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help New Kent VA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with New Kent 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 establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment 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 technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local New Kent VA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your New Kent home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors 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 programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near New Kent VA, check that the schools 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, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Electrical Technician Schools New Kent Virginia

New Kent VA electricians working on power linesSelecting the ideal electrician trade school 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 Technician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Requirements. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in New Kent VA.

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    New Kent County, Virginia

    New Kent County was established in 1654, using territory annexed from York County[3] and was organized and settled by William Claiborne. The county's name originated because several prominent inhabitants, including William Claiborne, recently had been forced from their settlement at Kent Island, Maryland by Lord Baltimore upon the formation of Maryland.[4] Claiborne had named the island for his birthplace in Kent, England.

    New Kent County is the birthplace of two US presidents' wives - Martha Washington and Letitia Christian Tyler. The church where George and Martha Washington are believed to have been wed, St. Peters, still holds services today. The Chickahominy Indians frequented this area as well as nearby Charles City County, and two tribes are still well-established in this area.

    Among the earliest settlers of New Kent County was Nicholas Gentry, who settled in New Kent in 1684. The parish register books of St. Peter's Parish show that Nicholas Gentry's daughter was baptized in the church in 1687. The records also reflect other Gentrys, probably Nicholas Gentry's relations, Peter and Samuel Gentry.[5] As the result of arson confessed to by John Price Posey and Tho Green, and, allegedly, involving "a negro boy belonging to W. Chamberlayne" on July 15, 1787, many later county records were burned, making identifying relationships between family members difficult.[6]

     

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