Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Fairfax VA 22030

How to Become an Electrician in Fairfax Virginia

Fairfax VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Fairfax VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many points to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Fairfax VA

Fairfax VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Fairfax VA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Virginia community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Virginia institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Fairfax VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Fairfax VA can undertake a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations 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 enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Fairfax VA

attending electrician school online in Fairfax VA An option that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Fairfax VA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Fairfax VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Fairfax VA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned 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, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Fairfax VA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean 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 assist Fairfax VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Fairfax VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Fairfax VA electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Fairfax residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors 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 handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Fairfax VA, check that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Fairfax VA?

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

Fairfax, Virginia

Fairfax (/ˈfɛər.fæks/ FAIR-faks), colloquially known as Central Fairfax, Downtown Fairfax, or Fairfax City, and officially named the City of Fairfax, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.[3] As of the 2010 census the population was 22,565,[4] which had risen to an estimated 24,013 as of 2015.[5]

The city of Fairfax is an enclave within the separate political entity Fairfax County. The city of Fairfax and the area immediately surrounding the historical border of the city of Fairfax, collectively designated by Fairfax County as "Fairfax", comprise the county seat of Fairfax County. The city is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as a part of Northern Virginia. The city is 17 miles (27 km) west of Washington, D.C. The Washington Metro's Orange Line serves Fairfax through its Vienna station, which is a mile northeast of the city limits. CUE Bus and Metrobus operate in Fairfax. Virginia Railway Express's Burke Centre station is situated three miles southeast of the city's boundaries. Virginia's largest public educational institution with 33,917 students in 2013 is George Mason University, which is located in unincorporated Fairfax County, along the city's southern border.

The city derives its name from Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, who was awarded 5,000,000 acres (20,000 km2) of land in northern Virginia by King Charles.[6] The area that the city now encompasses was settled in the early 18th century by farmers from Virginia's Tidewater region.[7] The town of "Providence" was established on the site by an act of the state legislature in 1805.[8]

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Choose the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Fairfax VA

Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Fairfax VA.