Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Salem VA 24153

How to Become an Electrician in Salem Virginia

Salem VA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Salem VA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to examine. For instance, some students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Salem VA

Salem VA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Salem VA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Virginia technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Virginia institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Salem VA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Salem VA can carry out a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Salem VA

attending electrician school online in Salem VA A possibility that you may have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving costs from Salem VA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Salem VA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Salem VA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 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 critical when making your decision, 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 research before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Salem VA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent 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 directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Salem VA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

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

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Salem VA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Salem home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Salem VA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Salem VA?

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

Salem, Virginia

Salem is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,802.[3] It is the county seat of Roanoke County,[4] although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Salem with Roanoke County for statistical purposes.

Salem is bordered by the city of Roanoke and is included in the same Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Blacksburg, 104 miles (167 km) from Greensboro, North Carolina, 120 miles (190 km) from Charlottesville, and 250 miles (400 km) from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Roanoke College is located in the city. The Division III Men's Basketball Championship and Stagg Bowl are held there annually, though the latter is scheduled to relocate beginning in 2018. Salem is also the home to a minor league baseball team, the Salem Red Sox, formerly the Salem Avalanche.

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Select the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Salem VA

Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Salem VA.