How to Pick the Right Electrician Tech School near Monterville West Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Monterville WV. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Monterville WV. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by West Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by West Virginia community colleges, typically 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 earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain West Virginia colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Monterville WV can perform a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate 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 offered vary by state and may be earned in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
A possibility that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Monterville WV are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Monterville WV area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Monterville WV school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Monterville WV grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Monterville WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Monterville WV electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Monterville home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Monterville WV, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Trade School Online Monterville West Virginia
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Trade School Online and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Technical School. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique 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 faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Monterville WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Monterville, West Virginia
Monterville is an unincorporated community in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. Monterville is 12.5 miles (20.1 km) southwest of Huttonsville. Monterville had a post office, which closed on June 20, 2009.[3]
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