How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Roanoke Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Roanoke VA. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss 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 educational options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Roanoke VA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Virginia trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Virginia junior or community colleges, usually 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 previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Roanoke VA can undertake a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling expenses from Roanoke VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Roanoke VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Roanoke VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Roanoke VA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Roanoke VA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build 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 using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Roanoke VA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Roanoke residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher 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 challenging 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 teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Roanoke VA, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Electrician Online Training Roanoke Virginia
Choosing the best electrician training program will probably 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 Online Training and wanting more information on the topic Trade Schools For Electricians. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Roanoke VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke (/ˈroʊəˌnoʊk/) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2010 census, the population was 97,032.[5] It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia.[6]
Roanoke is the largest municipality in Southwest Virginia, and is the principal municipality of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which had a 2010 population of 308,707. It is composed of the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem, and Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, and Roanoke counties. Bisected by the Roanoke River, Roanoke is the commercial and cultural hub of much of Southwest Virginia and portions of Southern West Virginia.[7]
The town first called Big Lick was established in 1852 and chartered in 1874. It was named for a large outcropping of salt which drew the wildlife to the site near the Roanoke River.[30] In 1882 it became the town of Roanoke, and in 1884 it was chartered as the independent city of Roanoke. The name Roanoke is said to have originated from an Algonquian word for shell "money".[31] The name for the river was that used by the Algonquian speakers who lived 300 miles away where the river emptied into the sea near Roanoke Island. The native people who lived near where the city was founded did not speak Algonquian. They spoke Siouan languages, Tutelo and Catawban. There were also Cherokee speakers in that general area who fought with the Catawba people. The city grew frequently through annexation through the middle of the twentieth century.[32] The last annexation was in 1976. The state legislature has since prohibited cities from annexing land from adjacent counties. Roanoke's location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the middle of the Roanoke Valley between Maryland and Tennessee, made it the transportation hub of western Virginia and contributed to its rapid growth.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 15
4 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
10 Reviews 1 Reviews 3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
12 Reviews 2 Reviews 