How to Select the Right Electrician Tech School near Hometown West Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hometown WV. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many factors to consider. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located some that are within driving range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Hometown WV. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by West Virginia vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by West Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain West Virginia colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Hometown WV can undertake a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in many 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling expenses from Hometown WV are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these benefits 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.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Hometown WV region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Hometown WV 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 ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hometown WV students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Hometown WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hometown WV electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Hometown home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Hometown WV, 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 allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Become A Licensed Electrician Hometown West Virginia
Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become A Licensed Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Technician Program. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Hometown WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Hometown, West Virginia
Hometown is a census-designated place (CDP) located along the Kanawha River on West Virginia Route 62 in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 668.[2] Hometown has six streets that are intersected by one street. There is an elementary school. The red house on the left in the photo was constructed for Thomas M. Brown and Ella Mae Criner Brown in the early 1920s, and was the first house built at Hometown.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 14
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 3 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 