How to Become an Electrician in Rainelle West Virginia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Rainelle WV. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to consider. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about 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 training choices that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Rainelle WV
There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Rainelle WV. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by West Virginia trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by West Virginia junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain West Virginia institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Rainelle WV can carry out a vast array of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a solid 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 Rainelle WV
An option that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling costs from Rainelle WV are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Rainelle WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about 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 critical when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Rainelle WV program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Rainelle WV graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Rainelle WV area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Rainelle WV electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Rainelle residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Rainelle WV, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Rainelle WV?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Rainelle WV area.
Rainelle, West Virginia
Rainelle is a small town on the western edge of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, in the United States. It sits at the base of Sewell Mountain and Sims Mountain, and is bisected by the Meadow River. The only means of transportation to and from Rainelle are roads; primarily US 60 and WV 20, which merge on the west end of the town, and the James River and Kanawha Turnpike, which enters from the south. The population was 1,505 at the 2010 census.
Rainelle was named for the Raine family.[6] Thomas and his brother John Raine moved there from Pennsylvania in 1906 to harvest a large stand of hardwoods for building homes, etc. Their Meadow River Lumber Company operated for 60 years, and at one time was the largest hardwood sawmill in the world. In 1970, the owners sold it to Georgia-Pacific Corporation, which tore it down in 1975.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2), all of it land.[1] The Meadow River flows through the town in a westerly direction on its way to eventually join the Gauley River.
Pick the Right Electrical Trade School near Rainelle WV
Picking the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Rainelle WV.
Other Cool Cities in West Virginia
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
