Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Herndon VA 20170

How to Become an Electrician in Herndon Virginia

Herndon VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Herndon VA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Herndon VA

Herndon VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Herndon VA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Herndon VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Herndon VA can perform a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Herndon VA

attending electrician school online in Herndon VA An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Herndon VA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Herndon VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Herndon VA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. 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 needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs 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 relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Herndon VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. 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 training programs 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 program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use 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 help Herndon VA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Herndon VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Herndon VA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Herndon home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees 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 are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Herndon VA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Herndon VA?

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

Herndon, Virginia

Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 23,292 at the 2010 census, which makes it the largest of three incorporated towns in the county.[3]

Herndon was named for Commander William Lewis Herndon, American naval explorer and author of Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon. Commander Herndon captained the ill-fated steamer SS Central America, going down with his ship while helping to save over 150 of its passengers and crew. The settlement was named Herndon in 1858. In the 1870s, many Northern soldiers and their families came to settle in the area, taking advantage of moderate climate and low land prices. Herndon also offered a group of friendly and local Native Americans who helped the town to prosper via trade and instruction.[4]

Originally part of the rural surroundings of the Washington, D.C. area, the town of Herndon developed into a hub of dairy farming and vacationing for area residents, aided by its presence along the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad (later to become the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad).[4] When the railroad was converted into a hike-and-bike trail, Herndon capitalized on history and small-town feel (in a major metropolitan region) by converting its train station into a museum and visitors center by relocating a Norfolk Southern Railway caboose to a nearby site and repainting it in W&OD livery.[5]

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Select the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Herndon VA

Selecting the best electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed 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 must that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Herndon VA.