Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Charlottesville VA 22901

How to Become an Electrician in Charlottesville Virginia

Charlottesville VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Charlottesville VA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as 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 post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Charlottesville VA

Charlottesville VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Charlottesville VA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Virginia technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Charlottesville VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Charlottesville VA can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies 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 trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Charlottesville VA

attending electrician school online in Charlottesville VA An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Charlottesville VA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Charlottesville VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Charlottesville VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Charlottesville VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 finish the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Charlottesville VA students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Charlottesville VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Charlottesville VA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Charlottesville residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Charlottesville VA, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, 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 Charlottesville VA?

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

Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville and officially named the City of Charlottesville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2016, an estimated 46,912 people lived within the city limits.[3] It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities.[4] This means a resident will list Charlottesville as both their county and city on official paperwork. It is named after the British Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with the County of Albemarle for statistical purposes, bringing its population to approximately 150,000. Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area, which includes Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson counties.

Charlottesville was the home of two Presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. During their terms as Governor of Virginia, they lived in Charlottesville, and traveled to and from Richmond, along the 71-mile (114 km) historic Three Notch'd Road. Orange, located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of the city, was the hometown of President James Madison. The University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson and one of the original Public Ivies, straddles the city's southwestern border. Monticello, 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the city, is, along with the University of Virginia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting thousands of tourists every year.[5]

An Act of the Assembly of Albemarle County established Charlottesville in 1762. Thomas Walker was named its first trustee. It was situated along a trade route called Three Notched Road (present day U.S. Route 250), which led from Richmond to the Great Valley. The town took its name from Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who became queen consort of Great Britain when she married King George III in 1761.

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Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Charlottesville VA

Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Charlottesville VA.