How to Choose the Right Electrician Training School near Craigsville Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Craigsville VA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to evaluate. For example, many students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Craigsville VA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Virginia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide 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 accessible at certain Virginia institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Craigsville VA can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling expenses from Craigsville VA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Craigsville VA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Craigsville VA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Craigsville VA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Craigsville VA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Craigsville VA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Craigsville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
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 at night or on weekends near Craigsville VA, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Best Electrician Courses Craigsville Virginia
Choosing the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Electrician Courses and wanting more information on the topic Industrial Electrician Training. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Craigsville VA.
More Electric Locations in Virginia
Craigsville, Virginia
The only significant highway providing access to Craigsville is Virginia State Route 42. To the northeast, the road connects with U.S. Route 250 and, via Virginia State Route 254, Interstate 81 near Staunton. To the southwest, the road connects to Interstate 64.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 979 people, 413 households, and 272 families residing in the town. The population density was 495.5 people per square mile (190.9/km²). There were 474 housing units at an average density of 239.9 per square mile (92.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.73% White, 1.74% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.20% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.
There were 413 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 8
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
23 Reviews 