How to Become an Electrician in Harrisville West Virginia
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Harrisville WV. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to examine. For example, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when choosing 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 becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Harrisville WV
There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Harrisville WV. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by West Virginia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs 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 readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain West Virginia institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Harrisville WV can carry out a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in several specialties, 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Harrisville WV
An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Harrisville WV are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Harrisville 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 needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Harrisville WV school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Harrisville WV graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Harrisville WV area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school 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 concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Harrisville WV electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Harrisville residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult 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 teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn 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 reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Harrisville WV, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Harrisville WV?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Harrisville WV area.
Harrisville, West Virginia
Harrisville is a town in Ritchie County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 1,876 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ritchie County.[6] The town is home to historic Berdine's Five and Dime.
According to the 2010 census,[2] there were 1,876 people, 787 households, and 496 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,187.3 inhabitants per square mile (458.4/km2). There were 917 housing units at an average density of 580.4 per square mile (224.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.
There were 787 households of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.81.
Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Harrisville WV
Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing 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 offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Harrisville WV.
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