Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lorton VA 22079

How to Become an Electrician in Lorton Virginia

Lorton VA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lorton VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many factors to consider. For example, some students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Lorton VA

Lorton VA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Lorton VA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs offered.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like 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, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Virginia institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Lorton VA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Lorton VA can carry out a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes three 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Lorton VA

attending electrician school online in Lorton VAAn alternative that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Lorton VA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lorton VA electrician re-wiring circuit panelNow that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lorton VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program 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 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 choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Lorton VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lorton VA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

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

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lorton VA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lorton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lorton VA, confirm 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 allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lorton VA?

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

Lorton, Virginia

Lorton is named for a village in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, in England. Joseph Plaskett of the Cumbrian village settled in southern Fairfax County, running a general store and opening the Lorton Valley Post Office on November 11, 1875.[4]

Before the identity of Lorton, the commercial center was Colchester, and the spiritual and historical center of the community around which the leading citizens of the time revolved was Pohick Church, where George Washington and George Mason were at times members of the vestry.

From the early 20th century until November 2001, Lorton was the site of a District of Columbia correctional facility called the Lorton Reformatory which, among other things, detained approximately 168 women from the women's suffrage movement from the Washington, D.C. area from June to December 1917. For the 2010 census, the area around the former Lorton Reformatory was assigned to the Laurel Hill census-designated place, reducing the area and population of the Lorton CDP.

The location could not be found.

Choose the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Lorton VA

Picking the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lorton VA.

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