How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Teays West Virginia
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Teays WV. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Teays WV. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by West Virginia trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by West Virginia junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain West Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Teays WV can undertake a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Teays WV are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Teays WV area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Teays WV school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Teays WV graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Teays WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Teays WV electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Teays residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Teays WV, verify that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Vocational School For Electrician Teays West Virginia
Choosing the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Vocational School For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Technician Course. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line 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 satisfy your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Teays WV.
More Electric Locations in West Virginia
Teays Valley, West Virginia
Teays Valley (/ˈteɪz/ TAYZ[5]) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Putnam County, West Virginia, United States. The place is divided into the two districts of Teays Valley and Scott Depot.[6] The population was 13,175 at the 2010 census.[2] Teays Valley is part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New definitions from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.8 km²), of which 7.2 square miles (18.6 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) (1.34%) is water.
The valley referred to by "Teays Valley" is a portion of the remains of the pre-glacial Teays River. Today, the valley's water is shed through a number of creeks which empty into the Kanawha and Mud rivers.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 14
2 Reviews 
3 Reviews 1 Reviews 3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 3 Reviews 