Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Centreville VA 20120

How to Become an Electrician in Centreville Virginia

Centreville VA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Centreville VA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Centreville VA

Centreville VA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Centreville VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Centreville VA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Centreville VA can carry out a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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 tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Centreville VA

attending electrician school online in Centreville VAAn alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Centreville VA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Centreville VA electrician re-wiring circuit panelOnce you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Centreville VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about 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 even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Centreville VA school and program 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 guarantee that you get a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Centreville VA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Centreville VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Centreville VA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Centreville residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Centreville VA, check that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Centreville VA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Centreville VA area.

Centreville, Virginia

Centreville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The population was 71,135 at the 2010 census.[3] Centreville is approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Washington, DC.

Beginning in the 1760s, the area was known as Newgate due to the popularity of the conveniently-located Newgate tavern. William Carr Lane operated the tavern and was co-proprietor of a nearby store with James Lane, Jr.[4] The Lanes sold convicted servants, which may explain why the tavern had the same name as a London prison.[5] The small stream that passed near the tavern was named the River Thames, another London association.[6] Another reason for it being named Newgate, was the fact that it was a "new gate" to the western territories.

The town of Centerville (shortly thereafter spelled Centreville) was established in 1792 on the turnpike road at the village of Newgate by the Virginia General Assembly in response to petitions by local landowners.[7] The petitioners reasoned that a town on the turnpike road leading from the Northwest Territory and centrally located to Alexandria, Colchester, Dumfries, Middleburg, George Town (later Georgetown), Fauquier Court House (later Warrenton), and Leesburg would be convenient. The town acquired its name due to its central location. James Hardage Lane, one of the landowners, conceived the idea of the town as a way to provide financial support to his widow and their children.[8] At the town's inception, it was within the boundary of Loudoun County, Virginia, and became part of Fairfax County, Virginia in 1798 when the boundary between the two counties shifted.[9]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Electrical Technical School near Centreville VA

Picking the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study 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 determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Centreville VA.

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