Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Barboursville WV 25504

How to Become an Electrician in Barboursville West Virginia

Barboursville WV electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Barboursville WV. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located several that are within driving range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Barboursville WV

Barboursville WV electrician re-wiring power outletThere are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Barboursville WV. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by West Virginia vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by West Virginia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain West Virginia institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Barboursville WV electricians working on power linesElectricians in Barboursville WV can carry out a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Barboursville WV

attending electrician school online in Barboursville WVA possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Barboursville WV are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Barboursville WV electrician re-wiring circuit panelNow that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Barboursville WV region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Barboursville WV program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Barboursville WV graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Barboursville WV area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Barboursville WV electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Barboursville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Barboursville WV, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, 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 due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Barboursville WV?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Barboursville WV area.

Barboursville, West Virginia

Barboursville is a 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.[6]

The Barboursville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The Thornburg House was separately listed in 1991.[8] Barboursville also contains the historic Miller House, a building constructed in 1835 by local pioneer William Clendenin Miller, grandson of Major George Clendenin (Served under Lt. Colonel Daniel Boone in the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant, and along with Boone was the first representative of Kanawha County, and incidentally what would become Cabell County. Also was a co-founder of Charleston, West Virginia.)[9]

Barboursville is located at 38°24′40″N 82°17′52″W / 38.41111°N 82.29778°W / 38.41111; -82.29778 (38.411002, -82.297758).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.19 square miles (10.85 km2), of which, 4.09 square miles (10.59 km2) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[1] The confluence of the Mud River and the Guyandotte River is just north of the village.

The location could not be found.

Pick the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Barboursville WV

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Barboursville WV.

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