How to Become an Electrician in Bluefield West Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Bluefield WV. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Bluefield WV
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Bluefield WV. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by West Virginia trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by West Virginia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some West Virginia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Bluefield WV can perform a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Bluefield WV
An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Bluefield WV are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Bluefield WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned 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 pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Bluefield WV program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent 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 directory of alumni, 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 validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Bluefield WV grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Bluefield WV area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on 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 tools 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, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Bluefield WV electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Bluefield home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bluefield WV, check that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Bluefield WV?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Bluefield WV area.
Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield is a city in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 10,447 at the 2010 census. It is the core city of the Bluefield WV-VA micropolitan area, which has a population of 107,342.
Bluefield is located at 37°15′44″N 81°13′7″W / 37.26222°N 81.21861°W / 37.26222; -81.21861 (37.262219, -81.218674)[5] in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia across the state border from Bluefield, Virginia.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 10,447 people, 4,643 households, and 2,772 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,179.1 inhabitants per square mile (455.3/km2). There were 5,457 housing units at an average density of 615.9 per square mile (237.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 73.7% White, 23.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near Bluefield WV
Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine 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 training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Bluefield WV.
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