How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Smithfield Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Smithfield VA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Smithfield VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want 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, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Virginia colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Smithfield VA can perform a wide range of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 3 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 select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An option that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Smithfield VA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Smithfield VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Smithfield VA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct 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 alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Smithfield VA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade 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 within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Smithfield VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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 tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Smithfield VA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Smithfield residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Smithfield VA, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
How To Learn To Be An Electrician Smithfield Virginia
Picking the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How To Learn To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Education. But as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Smithfield VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Smithfield, Virginia
The town is most famous for the curing and production of the Smithfield ham. The Virginia General Assembly passed a statute defining "Smithfield ham" by law in 1926, with one of the requirements that it be processed within the town limits. Smithfield Foods, a Chinese Fortune 500 company that owns Smithfield Packing Company and others, is the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. The company, based in Smithfield, raises 12 million hogs and processes 20 million pounds of them annually.
Smithfield, first colonized in 1634, is located on the Pagan River, south of Jamestown and on the south side of the James River. The Native Americans knew this area as Warascoyak, also spelled Warrosquoyacke, meaning "point of land."
The Virginia colony officially formed Warrosquyoake Shire (with numerous variant spellings, including Warrascoyack, Warrascocke and "Warwick Squeak") in 1634, but it had already been known as "Warascoyack County" before this. It was renamed as Isle of Wight County in 1637.
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