Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Sterling VA 20163

How to Become an Electrician in Sterling Virginia

Sterling VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Sterling VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Sterling VA

Sterling VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Sterling VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are provided by Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter 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. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Sterling VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Sterling VA can perform a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 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 vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Sterling VA

attending electrician school online in Sterling VA An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Sterling VA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Sterling VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Sterling VA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Sterling VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train 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 directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Sterling VA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Sterling VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Sterling VA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Sterling home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Sterling VA, check that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Sterling VA?

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

Sterling, Virginia

Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place (CDP) in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 United States Census was 27,822.[1] It is located northwest of Herndon, east of Ashburn, and west of Great Falls, and includes part of Washington Dulles International Airport and the former AOL corporate headquarters. Sterling is also home to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office LWX (serving the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area), as well as the Sterling Field Support Center, the National Weather Service test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.

In the beginning of 1962, large farms made up the 1,762 acres (713 ha) of what today is called Sterling Park. Route 7, also known as Leesburg Pike, bordered what used to be Jesse Hughes's dairy farm. Hughes arrived in Loudoun County in the early 20th century and was a longtime head of the county's Democrats. Fred Franklin Tavenner, who was somewhat related to Benjamin Franklin, operated vast stretches of Sterling Farm at the southwest fringes of Sterling Park. Tavenner had purchased land from Albert Shaw, Jr., who had inherited it from his father Albert B. Shaw, editor and publisher of the American Review of Reviews. One of Shaw's spreads, totaling 1,640 acres (660 ha), was called "The Experimental Farm" because it was one of the first area farms to receive a U.S. grant for applying "scientific methods", as Tavenner called them. According to Tavenner, refugees from the Soviet Union ran the farm while Shaw remained in New York City.[2]

Dulles International Airport and the extension of water and sewer lines to the airport began to change the landscape when construction started in 1959. Land prices rose from an average $125 per acre ($310/ha) to $500 per acre ($1,200/ha). During the same year, Marvin T. Broyhill, Jr., and his father made plans to develop land in the airport area under the company M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corporation. In late 1961, they decided to buy and incorporated Sterling Park Development Corporation with his son Marvin T. Broyhill, president, and a cousin, Thomas J. Broyhill, as vice president. Between April 28, and December 29, 1961 of that year, they purchased 1,762 acres (713 ha) in 14 parcels for $2,115,784. For the 226-acre (91 ha) Hughes farm along Route 7, they paid $1,700 per acre ($4,200/ha).[2]

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near Sterling VA

Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical tech school 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 course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Sterling VA.