Best Trade Schools in Santa Clara, California (2025 Guide)

Updated October 9, 2025 | Brad Fishbein

Table of Contents
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Here are the best schools in Santa Clara and Silicon Valley. This guide lists accredited programs, California licensing, and in-demand trades across the South Bay1.

Top Trade Schools in Santa Clara

Verify current offerings and accreditation23.

School Program Length Highlights
Foothill College / De Anza College (Los Altos Hills/Cupertino) Certificates 6–12 months; A.S. ~2 years ACCJC accredited. HVAC-related, manufacturing, and technical programs with strong labs2.
San Jose City College / Evergreen Valley College (regional) Certificates 6–12 months; A.S. ~2 years ACCJC accredited. Construction, manufacturing, and allied programs; hybrid formats2.
IBEW Local 332 – Electrical JATC (San Jose) 3–5 years Registered electrical apprenticeship; paid OJT + classroom instruction.
UA Local 393 – Training Center (San Jose) ~5 years Registered apprenticeship in plumbing/pipefitting/HVACR; paid training and certifications.

Licensing in California

  • Electrician: Electrician Trainee → OJT hours → DAS exam; C-10 to contract45.
  • HVAC: EPA 608; C-20 to contract65.
  • Plumbing: C-36 to contract5.
  • Welding: No state license; employer/jurisdiction code quals.

Next Steps

  • Compare CA programs: /trade-school/california/
  • Explore trades and credentials: /trades/
  • National resources: /trade-school/

Tour labs, confirm accreditation, and map training to California licensing and apprenticeships.

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara Metro. bls.gov/oes ↩

  2. U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator. nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator ↩ ↩ ↩

  3. ACCSC/ACCET Directories. accsc.org, accet.org ↩

  4. CA DIR Electrician Certification. dir.ca.gov/das/ElectricalTrade.html ↩

  5. California CSLB. cslb.ca.gov ↩ ↩ ↩

  6. U.S. EPA, Section 608. epa.gov/section608 ↩

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Brad Fishbein Licensed Mold Assessor

Meet the author: Brad Fishbein is a Florida Licensed Mold Assessor and council-certified Microbial Investigator. He’s the founder of TradeCareerPath.com and has completed over 5,000 mold inspections since 2009. Brad now helps homeowners and tradespeople make smart decisions about mold, licensing, and skilled career paths.