How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Troy West Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Troy WV. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Troy WV. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by West Virginia technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 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 comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some West Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Troy WV can undertake a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, including 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Troy WV are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Troy WV region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Troy WV program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist Troy WV students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Troy WV area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Troy WV electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Troy home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Troy WV, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Education Requirements For Electrician Troy West Virginia
Selecting the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Education Requirements For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certification Classes. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should 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. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Troy WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
West Virginia Route 18
West Virginia Route 18 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 47 in Troy, Gilmer County. The northern terminus is at the Sistersville Ferry on Catherine St in Sistersville, Tyler County. WV 18 uses Charles St, Main St and Catherine St through Sistersville to reach the ferry.[2] As of September 2015, WVDOH signage does not show WV 18 on WV 2.
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