How to Become an Electrician in Marriottsville Maryland
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Marriottsville MD. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade 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 instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Marriottsville MD
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Marriottsville MD. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Maryland trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Maryland junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Maryland colleges, but are less favored 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 carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Marriottsville MD can carry out a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational 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 might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools in Marriottsville MD
An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more popular 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 partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Marriottsville MD are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Marriottsville MD region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can 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. Verify that the Marriottsville MD program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not competent 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 list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Marriottsville MD grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Marriottsville MD area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Marriottsville MD electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Marriottsville residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their comments regarding 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 have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Marriottsville MD, check that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Marriottsville MD?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Marriottsville MD area.
Howard County, Maryland
Howard County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. However, recent development in the south of the county has led to some realignment towards the Washington, D.C. media and employment markets. The county is home to Columbia, a major planned community of approximately 100,000 founded by developer James Rouse in 1967.
Howard County is frequently cited for its affluence, quality of life, and excellent schools. With an estimated median household income of $108,844 in 2012, Howard County had the third-highest median household income of any U.S. county in 2013.[3] Many of the most affluent communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, such as Clarksville, Dayton, Glenelg, Glenwood, and West Friendship, are located along the Route 32 corridor in Howard County. The main population center of Columbia/Ellicott City was named second among Money magazine's 2010 survey of "America's Best Places to Live."[4]Howard County's schools frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates.[5]
The name of the county honors Colonel John Eager Howard,[7] an officer in the "Maryland Line" of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, commander notably at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina in 1781, among others. He was the fifth governor of Maryland from 1788 to 1791. His home was the mansion "Belvedere", located at the present-day intersection of East Chase and North Calvert streets, north of Baltimore Town in an area also called "Howard's Woods", where Baltimore's Washington Monument was later erected and the neighborhood of Mount Vernon was developed in the 1820s.[8]
Choose the Right Electrical Technical School near Marriottsville MD
Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Marriottsville MD.
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