How to Become an Electrician in Blacksburg Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Blacksburg VA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that should be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Blacksburg VA
There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Blacksburg VA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Virginia community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Virginia colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Blacksburg VA can carry out a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Blacksburg VA
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling expenses from Blacksburg VA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Blacksburg VA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Blacksburg VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Blacksburg VA students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational 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 electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Blacksburg VA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Blacksburg VA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Blacksburg residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Blacksburg VA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Blacksburg VA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Blacksburg VA area.
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University).
Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses those jurisdictions and all of Montgomery, Pulaski, and Giles counties for statistical purposes. The MSA has an estimated population of 159,587 [4] and is currently one of the faster-growing MSAs in Virginia.
In 2011, BusinessWeek named Blacksburg as the "Best Place in the U.S. to Raise Kids".[5] Also in 2011, readers of Southern Living named Blacksburg the "Best College Town in the South".[6] Its public transportation system, Blacksburg Transit, which also connects to the neighboring town of Christiansburg, has repeatedly been recognized for the quality of its service.[7]Blacksburg High School, which in 2013 opened a new building,[8] is often ranked among the top schools of the nation for its academics. Its soccer, track, and cross-country teams are also among the top in the state.
Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Blacksburg VA
Selecting the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. 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 right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Blacksburg VA.
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