Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Kensington MD 20891

How to Become an Electrician in Kensington Maryland

Kensington MD electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Kensington MD. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Kensington MD

Kensington MD electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Kensington MD. 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 common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Maryland vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Maryland junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Maryland institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Kensington MD electricians working on power lines Electricians in Kensington MD can carry out a wide range of functions, including 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 mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Kensington MD

attending electrician school online in Kensington MD A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Kensington MD are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Kensington MD electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Kensington MD area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools 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, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Kensington MD 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 make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, 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 affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Kensington MD students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Kensington MD area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Kensington MD electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Kensington residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kensington MD, check that the schools you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Kensington MD?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Kensington MD area.

Kensington, Maryland

The area around the Rock Creek basin where Kensington is located was primarily agricultural until 1873, when the B&O Railroad completed the Metropolitan Branch which traversed Montgomery County. A community arose where the new railroad line intersected the old Rockville-to-Bladensburg road. This early settlement was first known as Knowles Station. In the early 1890s, Washington, D.C. developer Brainard Warner began purchasing land parcels to build a planned Victorian community, complete with church, library and a local newspaper. Fascinated by a recent trip to London, Warner named his subdivision Kensington Park, the 10th and largest subdivision in the area which became the Town of Kensington. Upon incorporation in 1894, Warner convinced the Mayor and Council to name the town Kensington.[5] The historic core of Kensington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the Kensington Historic District in 1980.[6]

Originally a farming community at Knowles Station, Kensington developed into a summer refuge for Washington, D.C., residents wishing to escape the capital's humid summers. As years passed and its residents increasingly remained year round, Kensington evolved into a commuter suburb. The large southernmost section originally mapped out by Warner remains largely unchanged since inception, and is a historically preserved zone. Indeed, the only major changes in the town's basic layout have been the bridging over of the original railroad crossing in 1937, and the extension and widening of Connecticut Avenue, the town's main thoroughfare, in 1957.

In March 1975, Kensington gained attention regionally due to the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon. The sisters walked to Wheaton Plaza, a local shopping mall where they were seen by witnesses including their brother. However, they never returned home and the case remains unsolved.

The location could not be found.

Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Kensington MD

Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Kensington MD.