Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Cedar Grove WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician trade schools have acquired 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 an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Cedar Grove WV school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Cedar Grove WV students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Cedar Grove WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>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 on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Cedar Grove WV electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Cedar Grove home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Cedar Grove WV, confirm that the schools you are looking at 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 due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Cedar Grove WV?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Cedar Grove WV area.<\/p>\n
Cedar Grove, West Virginia<\/h3>
Cedar Grove is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. Cedar Grove was incorporated in 1902. Its name is derived from the fact that at the time the town was established, a large juniper forest, misidentified as cedars by early settlers, was growing at that location. Cedar Grove is the site of Fort Kelley and the oldest settlement in the Kanawha Valley, dating from 1773. Landmarks located here include the Tompkins Home (1844) and the Old Brick Church (1853).[6]<\/p>
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 997 people, 400 households, and 279 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,384.7 inhabitants per square mile (534.6\/km2). There were 447 housing units at an average density of 620.8 per square mile (239.7\/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.6% White, 1.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.<\/p>
There were 400 households of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.3% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.<\/p><\/div>\n