Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Reston VA 20190

How to Become an Electrician in Reston Virginia

Reston VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Reston VA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Reston VA

Reston VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Reston VA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Virginia trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Virginia colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Reston VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Reston VA can perform a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations 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 choose not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Reston VA

attending electrician school online in Reston VA A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Reston VA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Reston VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Reston VA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Reston 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 ensure that you receive a superior education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Reston VA students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Reston VA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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 technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Reston VA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Reston residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools 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 Reston 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. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Reston VA?

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

Reston, Virginia

Reston is one of the leading "New Town" planned communities in the United States. Founded in 1964, Reston was influenced by the Garden City movement that emphasized planned, self-contained communities that intermingled green space, residential neighborhoods, and commercial development.[3] The intent of Reston's founder, Robert E. Simon, was to build a town that would revolutionize post–World War II concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in suburban America.[4] In 2018, Reston was ranked as the Best Places to Live in Virginia by Money magazine for its expanses of parks, lakes, golf courses, and bridle paths as well as the numerous shopping and dining opportunities in Reston Town Center.[5] Beginning in 2017, however, high-density commercial and residential developments along the Dulles Toll Road began to spark concerns among residents about local government's ability to ensure that key infrastructure, including roads, schools, and parks, would remain in sync with the accelerating pace of new construction.[6]

In the early days of Colonial America, the land on which Reston sits was part of the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast grant by King Charles II to Lord Thomas Fairfax that extended from the Potomac River to the Rappahannock. The property remained in the Fairfax family until they sold it in 1852.[8]

Carl A. Wiehle and William Dunn bought 6,449 acres in northern Fairfax County along the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad line in 1886, later dividing the land between them, with Wiehle retaining the acreage north of the railroad line. Wiehle envisioned founding a town on the property, including a hotel, parks, and community center, but completed only a handful of homes before his death in 1901.[8]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Electrical Vocational School near Reston VA

Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Reston VA.