How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Beckley West Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Beckley WV. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only things that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Beckley WV. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by West Virginia technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by West Virginia junior or community colleges, typically 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 stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some West Virginia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Beckley WV can perform a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Beckley WV are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Beckley WV region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. 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 crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Beckley WV school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 Beckley WV grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Beckley WV area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Beckley WV electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Beckley home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees 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 can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Beckley WV, check that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Online Electrician School Beckley West Virginia
Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Online Electrician Program. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Beckley WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in and the county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. It was founded on April 4, 1838.[6] Beckley was named in honor of John James Beckley, who was the first Clerk of the House of Representatives and the first Librarian of Congress. It was founded by his son, Alfred Beckley (US Army general and Confederate militia commander), who was from the District of Columbia. The current mayor is Rob Rappold.[7]
Although founded in 1838, Beckley existed only on paper at that time, "Alfred Beckley said he "was frequently jeered and laughed at for his Paper Town..."[8] Early in its history, the town was known as Beckley, Raleigh Court House, and, occasionally, Beckleyville. The town was originally located in Fayette County, Virginia. In 1850 the act of the Virginia legislature creating Raleigh County named Beckley the county seat. The city is sometimes called the "Smokeless Coal Capital", "The City of Champions" and the "Gateway To Southern West Virginia."[citation needed] Beckley had the first "community antenna" television system in the United States, a forerunner of cable television.[citation needed]
During the presidential primaries of 1960, the vehicles of rivals John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey stopped at the same streetcorner in Beckley. Recognizing each other, the two men got out and chatted briefly.[9]
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