What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Institute WV area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 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 even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Institute WV school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>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 complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Institute WV grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Institute WV area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the campus 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Institute WV electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Institute residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Institute WV, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Institute WV?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Institute WV area.<\/p>\n
Institute, West Virginia<\/h3>
Institute is an unincorporated community on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. The community lies off Interstate 64 and West Virginia Route 25, and has grown to intermingle with nearby Dunbar. Institute is home to West Virginia State University (formerly the West Virginia Colored Institute, the source of the town's toponym) and the West Virginia State Police Academy. It was also the site of an August 2008 chemical plant explosion that killed two and injured eight at the Bayer CropScience facility.[1]<\/p>
The community is the location of the prehistoric Shawnee Reservation Mound, one of three remaining Adena-era earthwork mounds and enclosures found in an eight-mile stretch along the river. Also called Fairgrounds Mound and Poorhouse Mound, it is now located within Shawnee Regional Park. The mound is about 20\u2019 high and 80\u2019 in basal diameter, but was originally 25\u2019 high and greater than 80\u2019 in diameter. In the late 19th century, the Smithsonian Institution inventoried more than 50 Adena-era earthwork mounds and ten enclosures along the Kanawha River. They were likely built by indigenous peoples approximately 300 BCE to 200. During a 1902 archaeological exploration by Gerard Fowke, a total of 27 fully wrapped mummies were discovered in near perfectly lifelike conditions due to the unique qualities of the local weather conditions. \n[1] CE.[2]<\/p><\/div>\n