How to Find the Best Electrician Technical School near Matewan West Virginia
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Matewan WV. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to consider. For example, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Matewan WV. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by West Virginia trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are provided by West Virginia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some West Virginia colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Matewan WV can undertake a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing 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 states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Matewan WV are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Matewan WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Matewan WV program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Matewan WV graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Matewan WV area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Matewan WV electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Matewan residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers 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 schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Matewan WV, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Learn To Become An Electrician Matewan West Virginia
Choosing the best electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Learn To Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Degrees Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Matewan WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Matewan, West Virginia
Matewan (/ˈmeɪtwɒn/) is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, USA at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Pocahontas District runs through the town.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 499 people, 261 households, and 117 families residing in the town. The population density was 891.1 inhabitants per square mile (344.1/km2). There were 301 housing units at an average density of 537.5 per square mile (207.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.6% White, 6.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 261 households of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 55.2% were non-families. 52.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.91 and the average family size was 2.85.
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