How to Choose the Right Electrician Training School near Newington Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Newington VA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only things that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Newington VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 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 extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Virginia institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Newington VA can undertake a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually 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 knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves three levels of competency:
- 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 choose not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving costs from Newington VA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Newington VA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs 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. Confirm that the Newington VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Newington VA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Newington VA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Newington VA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Newington residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
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 go to classes at night or on weekends near Newington VA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Journeyman Electrician School Newington Virginia
Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Journeyman Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical College Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Newington VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Newington, Virginia
Newington is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 12,943 at the 2010 census.[3] The 2010 census showed a significant decrease after half the population was split off to the newly created Newington Forest CDP.
Newington is located in southern Fairfax County at 38°44′7″N 77°12′13″W / 38.73528°N 77.20361°W / 38.73528; -77.20361 (38.735414, −77.203558).[4] It is bordered to the north by Springfield, to the northeast by Franconia and Kingstowne, to the east and southeast by Fort Belvoir, to the southwest by Lorton, to the west by Newington Forest, and to the northwest by West Springfield. Interstate 95 passes through the middle of the CDP, with access from Exit 166 (Virginia Route 286, the Fairfax County Parkway). Washington, D.C. is 16 miles (26 km) to the northeast via I-95 and I-395, and Fredericksburg is 37 miles (60 km) to the southwest. The Fairfax County Parkway leads northwest 16 miles (26 km) to Interstate 66 between Fairfax and Centreville.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Newington CDP has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (11.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.97%, is water.[3]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 420
48 Reviews 
64 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
22 Reviews 
16 Reviews 
209 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
43 Reviews 
37 Reviews 