Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lexington VA 24450

How to Become an Electrician in Lexington Virginia

Lexington VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lexington VA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Lexington VA

Lexington VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lexington VA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Virginia junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Virginia institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Lexington VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lexington VA can undertake a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with 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 normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Lexington VA

attending electrician school online in Lexington VA A possibility that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case 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 balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving costs from Lexington VA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Lexington VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lexington VA area, 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 degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Lexington VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lexington VA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational 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 inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Lexington VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lexington VA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lexington residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult 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 teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lexington VA, check that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lexington VA?

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

Lexington, Virginia

Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. At the 2010 census, the population was 7,042.[3] It is the county seat of Rockbridge County,[4] although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Lexington (along with nearby Buena Vista) with Rockbridge County for statistical purposes. Lexington is about 57 miles east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.

Lexington was named in 1778. It was one of the first of what would be many American places named after Lexington, Massachusetts, known for being the place at which the first shot was fired in the American Revolution.[5]

The Union General David Hunter led a raid on Virginia Military Institute during the American Civil War. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are buried here. It is the site of the only house Jackson ever owned, now open to the public as a museum. Cyrus McCormick invented the horse-drawn mechanical reaper at his family's farm in Rockbridge County, and a statue of McCormick is located on the Washington and Lee University campus. McCormick Farm is now owned by Virginia Tech and is a satellite agricultural research center.

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Find the Right Electrician Technical School near Lexington VA

Choosing the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lexington VA.