Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Harrisonburg VA 22801

How to Become an Electrician in Harrisonburg Virginia

Harrisonburg VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Harrisonburg VA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many points to examine. For example, some students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Harrisonburg VA

Harrisonburg VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Harrisonburg VA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Virginia vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Virginia institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Harrisonburg VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Harrisonburg VA can perform a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Harrisonburg VA

attending electrician school online in Harrisonburg VA A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Harrisonburg VA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Harrisonburg VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Harrisonburg VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 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 chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Harrisonburg VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also suggest 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 list of alumni, which can 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Harrisonburg VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Harrisonburg VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Harrisonburg VA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Harrisonburg home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Harrisonburg VA, check that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Harrisonburg VA?

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

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,914,[6] with a census-estimated 2016 population of 53,078.[7] Harrisonburg is the county seat of the surrounding Rockingham County,[8] although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Harrisonburg with Rockingham County for statistical purposes into the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a 2011 estimated population of 126,562.[9]

Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University (JMU), a public research university with an enrollment of over 20,000 students,[10] and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), a private, Mennonite-affiliated liberal arts university. Although the city has no historical association with President James Madison, JMU was nonetheless named in his honor as Madison College in 1938 and renamed as James Madison University in 1977.[11] EMU largely owes it existence to the sizable Mennonite population in the Shenandoah Valley, to which many Pennsylvania Dutch settlers arrived beginning in the mid-18th century in search of rich, unsettled farmland.[12]

The city has become a bastion of ethnic and linguistic diversity in recent years. Over 1,900 refugees have been settled in Harrisonburg since 2002.[13] As of 2014, Hispanics or Latinos of any race comprise 19% of the city's population.[14]Harrisonburg City Public Schools (HCPS) students speak 55 languages in addition to English, with Spanish, Arabic, and Kurdish being the most common languages spoken.[15] Over one-third of HCPS students are English as a second language (ESL) learners.[16]Language learning software company Rosetta Stone was founded in Harrisonburg in 1992,[17] and the multilingual "Welcome Your Neighbors" yard sign originated in Harrisonburg in 2016.[13]

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Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Harrisonburg VA

Choosing the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain 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 means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few 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 right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Harrisonburg VA.