How to Find the Best Electrician Technical School near Wytheville Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Wytheville VA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Wytheville VA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Virginia colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Wytheville VA can perform a wide range of functions, such as 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 be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 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 important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Wytheville VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Wytheville VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Wytheville VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also mean 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 more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Wytheville VA students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction 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 companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Wytheville VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Wytheville VA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Wytheville residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Wytheville VA, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrician Training Courses Wytheville Virginia
Selecting the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Training Courses and wanting more information on the topic I Want To Be An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Wytheville VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Wytheville, Virginia
Wytheville (/ˈwɪθvɪl/) is a town in, and the county seat of, Wythe County, in western Virginia, United States. It is named after George Wythe, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and mentor to Thomas Jefferson. Wytheville's population was 8,211 at the 2010 census.[4] Interstate Highways 77 and 81 were constructed to intersect at the town, long a crossroads for travelers.
During the American Civil War, Wytheville had a strategic importance. It was attacked in 1863 (Toland's Raid) and 1865 (Stoneman's 1865 Raid). The town is the birthplace of Edith Bolling Wilson, second wife of President Woodrow Wilson.
Wythe County was created in 1789 and named for George Wythe, the "father of American Jurisprudence" and signer of the Declaration of Independence. In May 1790, Chris Simmerman donated 90 acres, along with John Davis's 10 acres, to establish a town and county seat. Robert Adams completed a town survey in November of that year, dividing the area into half-acre lots. The town did not have an official name yet, but was generally known as Wythe Court House.[5]
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