Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Manquin VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Manquin VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Manquin VA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Manquin VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Manquin VA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Manquin home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much personalized 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 large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Manquin VA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Manquin VA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Manquin VA area.<\/p>\n
Mount Columbia (Manquin, Virginia)<\/h3>
Mount Columbia is a historic home located near Manquin, King William County, Virginia. It was built in two sections; the rear section was built about 1790 and the front was added about 1835. It is a two-story, five bay, rectangular brick dwelling in the Federal style. The front section has a single-pile, central hall plan. Also on the property are the contributing brick kitchen dependency, a family cemetery and the vestiges of a formal garden.[3]<\/p><\/div>\n