Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Purcellville VA 20132

How to Become an Electrician in Purcellville Virginia

Purcellville VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Purcellville VA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many points to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Purcellville VA

Purcellville VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Purcellville VA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who want 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 provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Virginia colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements

Purcellville VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Purcellville VA can perform a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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 important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Purcellville VA

attending electrician school online in Purcellville VA An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Purcellville VA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Purcellville VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Purcellville VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest 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 important when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Purcellville VA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may 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 a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Purcellville VA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Purcellville VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Purcellville VA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Purcellville 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.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Purcellville VA, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Purcellville VA?

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

Purcellville, Virginia

Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate (as of July 1, 2015). Purcellville is the major population center for Western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today[update], many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.

Although the first land grant in the area was issued by Lord Fairfax in 1740, it was not until 1764 that Purcellville's first known settler, James Dillon from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, arrived. The early ox cart track which wound westward from Leesburg towards the Blue Ridge, known later as the "Great Road," served as the town's nucleus, although farms existed in the area, and Ketoctin Baptist Church had been founded nearby by 1752. The first recorded business, an ordinary (a combined store and inn), was established by Abraham Vickers in 1799. This was followed by a second ordinary, established by Stacey Taylor in 1804, and later by "Purcel's Store" and Post Office, established by Valentine Vernon Purcell (from whom the town's name is derived). A blacksmith's shop, established around 1848, was also among Purcellville's earliest businesses. On July 9, 1853 the village officially adopted the name Purcellville [3]

The Great Road became an authorized turnpike in 1785 and extended the turnpike system westward from Alexandria to Snickers Gap, and beyond to Berryville and Winchester.[4] With the construction of this Turnpike in 1832, travel through Purcellville began to increase and the first stagecoach arrived in 1841. A railroad link on the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire line (forerunner to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad) connecting the town to Leesburg and points east was built prior to the Civil War, and travel to points further west were continued by stagecoach through Purcellville.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Purcellville VA

Selecting the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Purcellville VA.