Top Electrician Trade Schools Palestine WV - Find Electrician Training Near You

How to Choose the Best Electrician Vocational School near Palestine West Virginia

Palestine WV electrician working on circuit board The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Palestine WV. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs

Palestine WV electrician on power line pole There are multiple ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Palestine WV. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by West Virginia vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are provided by West Virginia junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered 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 no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Palestine WV electrician wiring box Electricians in Palestine WV can carry out a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you choose 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.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes

Palestine WV student attending electrician school online A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Palestine WV are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Questions to ask Palestine WV electrician schools Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Palestine WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Palestine WV program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also signify 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 more extensive list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Palestine WV graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Palestine WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local 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 using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Palestine WV electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Palestine residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Palestine WV, check that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Top Electrician Trade Schools Palestine West Virginia

Palestine WV electricians working on power lines Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Top Electrician Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic How To Be Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Palestine WV.