Best Trade Schools in Thornton, Colorado (2025 Guide)

Updated October 9, 2025 | Brad Fishbein

Table of Contents
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Here are the best schools near Thornton (North Metro Denver). This guide lists accredited programs, apprenticeships, and Colorado licensing basics1.

Top Trade Schools near Thornton

Verify current offerings and accreditation23.

School Program Length Highlights
Front Range Community College (Westminster) Certificates 6–12 months; AAS ~2 years HLC accredited. HVAC, Welding, Advanced Manufacturing; hybrid and evening options2.
Emily Griffith Technical College (Denver) Certificates 6–12 months COE accredited. Welding, HVAC, construction trades; hands-on labs.
IBEW Local 68 – Electrical JATC (Denver) 3–5 years Registered electrical apprenticeship; paid OJT + classroom instruction.
UA Plumbers Local 3 – Training (Denver) ~5 years Registered apprenticeship in plumbing/pipefitting/HVACR; paid training and certifications.

Licensing in Colorado

  • Electrical/Plumbing: State licensing for Residential/Journeyman/Master; contractor licensing required.
  • HVAC: No single statewide tech license; EPA 608 required for refrigerants4.
  • Welding: No state license; employer/jurisdiction performance tests.

Next Steps

  • Compare CO programs: /trade-school/colorado/
  • Explore trades and credentials: /trades/
  • National resources: /trade-school/

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

  1. BLS, Denver–Aurora–Lakewood Metro. bls.gov/oes ↩

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

  3. ACCSC Directory. accsc.org ↩

  4. U.S. EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification. 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.