How to Find the Right Electrician Training School near Elbert West Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Elbert WV. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Elbert WV. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by West Virginia trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by West Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain West Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Elbert WV can perform a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring 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 length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Elbert WV are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Elbert WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire 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 Elbert WV school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate 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 more extensive list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Elbert WV students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training 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 within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Elbert WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Elbert WV electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Elbert residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Elbert WV, check that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Best Online Electrician School Elbert West Virginia
Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Online Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic How To Become A Licensed Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are reviewing 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 education needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty 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 school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Elbert WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Elbert, West Virginia
Elbert is an unincorporated community located in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. Founded as a coal town, the community is now part of the City of Gary after its post office closed.[2] Elbert was an independent community and was incorporated into Gary, West Virginia in 1971.[3]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
