Best Trade Schools in Athens, Georgia (2025 Guide)

Updated October 9, 2025 | Brad Fishbein

Table of Contents
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Here are the best schools in Athens–Clarke County. This guide lists accredited programs, apprenticeships, and Georgia licensing steps for core trades1.

Top Trade Schools in Athens

Verify current offerings and accreditation23.

School Program Length Highlights
Athens Technical College Certificates/Diplomas 6–18 months; AAS ~2 years SACSCOC accredited. HVAC, Welding, Electrical Systems, Automotive, and allied health; flexible schedules2.
IBEW Local 1579/84 (regional) – Apprenticeship 3–5 years Registered electrical apprenticeships (regional); paid OJT + classroom instruction.
UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 72/421 (regional) – Training ~5 years Registered apprenticeship in plumbing/pipefitting/HVACR; paid training and certifications.

Licensing in Georgia

  • Electrical Contractors: Class I/II via State Construction Industry Licensing Board — experience, exam, references, CE4.
  • HVAC/Conditioned Air Contractors: Class I/II via board — experience, exam; EPA 608 required for refrigerants45.
  • Plumbing: Journeyman/Master licensure by exam with verified experience; CE for renewal4.
  • Welding: No state license; employers require AWS/code quals6.

Next Steps

  • Compare GA programs: /trade-school/georgia/
  • Explore careers and credentials: /trades/
  • National guides: /trade-school/

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

  1. BLS, Athens–Clarke County Metro. bls.gov/oes ↩

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

  3. Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), Directory. accsc.org ↩

  4. Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board. sos.ga.gov/licensing ↩ ↩ ↩

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

  6. American Welding Society (AWS). aws.org/certification/ ↩

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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.