Trade SchoolsIf you live in Roanoke and want to start a rewarding career in trades without spending four years in higher education, this page is for you.
A variety of training opportunities are available for students who want to learn a new trade in less than two years.
On this page, we compile information about the best trade schools in your region and the programs they offer.
The schools included in our list provide a variety of academic and career programs designed to prepare you for your dream career.
Our selection covers a wide range of career fields, from medical assisting to CDL driving to children’s book illustration.
Our list also includes dual credit programs that allow high school students to receive credit from a college and their high school at the same time.
We invite you to read further and decide if any of the paths included in our list are fit for your skills and career aspirations.
1Build Smart Institute
About the School
Build Smart Institute offers a variety of training opportunities in carpentry, electrical, heating, and cooling, and plumbing.
The school also provides a Core Fundamentals in Construction course designed to provide students with the basic knowledge to start a career in the trades.
A preparation course for a Journeyman and Master Electrician License is also available to equip students with what they need in order to pass with flying colors.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available at the school:
- Core Fundamentals in Construction
- Carpentry
- Electrical
- Heating & Cooling
- Plumbing
Contact Information
- Address: 701 Gainsboro Road, Roanoke, VA 24016
- Phone: (540) 900-3340
- Website: https://buildsmartinstitute.com
2Fasttrack Healthcare Education
About the School
Fasttrack Healthcare Education is a career training school that provides short-term career training programs in health care.
The programs are designed to get students into the workplace in a short time.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available at the school:
- Patient Care Technician
- Phlebotomy Technician
- Electrocardiography Technician
- Nurse Aide
- Medication Aide
- Medical Billing & Coding Specialist
- And more
Online classes and diploma programs are also available.
Program duration and cost vary depending on the pathway.
The 160-hour Phlebotomy Technician program prepares students to collect blood specimens from patients for laboratory analysis.
Students spend 80 hours in classroom instruction and 80 hours in clinical instruction.
The lectures cover topics such as basic anatomy and physiology, risk factors and complications, quality assurance in specimen collection, professional behavior, and more.
Both daytime and evening programs are available.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age by completion of training.
The Patient Care Technician program is 300 hours long and combines classroom lectures, practical hands-on medical laboratory, and real-world externship experience.
To complete the Patient Care Technician program, students must complete the following modules:
- Phlebotomy Technician
- EKG Technician
- Nurse Aide
Contact Information
- Address: 1792 Apperson Drive, Salem, Virginia. 24153
- Phone: (540) 981-9111
- Website: https://www.fasttrackhc.com
3CDS Tractor Trailer Training
About the School
CDS Tractor Trailer Training offers CDL training courses at Virginia Western Community College.
The school is a CDL training vendor for several community colleges, including Virginia Western Community College and New River Community College.
Courses Offered
The Class A CDL training program includes 160 hours and can be completed in 20 days.
Courses begin every two weeks.
Full-time classes are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for four weeks.
Part-time training runs Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for ten weeks.
During the training, students learn the skills required by the Department of Motor Vehicles to earn a Virginia CDL.
The training program covers General Knowledge, Air Brakes, and Combination Vehicles, as well as Hazardous Materials Endorsement.
Contact Information
- Address: 3074 Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, VA 24015
- Phone: 540-857-6188
- Website: https://cdscdltraining.com
4Fusion School of Cosmetology
About the School
Fusion School of Cosmetology was founded in 2012 and has been providing top-quality education in cosmetology and related fields for more than ten years.
Students enjoy quiet and relaxing classroom areas as well as fully equipped salon stations.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available at the school:
- Nail Technician- a program that costs $2,950
- Wax Technician Program- tuition for this program is $2,350.
Prospective students must complete an application for enrollment, be at least 18 years of age, and be a high school graduate or have a GED.
Contact Information
- Address: Titan Park, 4800 Pleasant Hill Drive, Suite 101, Roanoke, VA 24018
- Phone: (540) 375-2947
- Website: https://fusions-salemva.com
5Hollins University
About the School
Hollins University offers classes designed to challenge students’ thinking and push them further.
The university also provides 12 coeducational graduate programs for students who want a degree from a nationally acclaimed liberal arts college.
Courses Offered
The university’s catalog includes certificate programs such as:
- Certificate in Children’s Book Illustration
- Certificate in Leadership Studies
- Certificate in New Play Performance
- Musical Theatre Performance
- Film
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 7916 Williamson Rd, Roanoke, VA 24020, United States
- Website: https://www.hollins.edu
6Mosey Flint School of Real Estate
About the School
Mosey Flint School of Real Estate offers real-estate pre-license education in Virginia.
The school provides pre-licensing courses and free exam prep tools, combined to give students a path to success.
Courses Offered
The 60-hour Salesperson Prelicensing course available at Mosey Flint School of Real Estate combines a Real Estate Principles course with a series of live lectures.
The course satisfies the requirements for real estate sales prelicensing education as determined by the Virginia Real Estate Board.
Those who take and pass the course exam are eligible and prepared to take and pass the Virginia Real Estate Salesperson Exam.
The Principles of Real Estate- Success Through Learning course costs $495.
Contact Information
- Address: 13115 W James Anderson Hwy PO Box 228 / Buckingham, VA 23921
- Phone: 800-729-4292
- Website: https://moseleyflint.com
7Azario Institute of Beauty
Azario Institute of Beauty prepares students for careers as hairstylists, coloring specialists, make-up artists, and other related cosmetology fields.
Courses Offered
The school offers a Basic Esthetician and a Master Esthetician program.
Basic Esthetician Students learn to perform the following treatments and services:
- Skin Analysis and Consultation
- Skin Treatments
- Specialty Esthetic Massage
- Specialty Masks and Treatments
- Hair Removal
- Lash and Brow Tinting
- Body Treatments
- And more
The Master Esthetician program also covers:
- Advanced Extraction Techniques
- Advanced Exfoliation Techniques
- Microdermabrasion
- Lymphatic Drainage
- Light Therapy
- And many more
Contact Information
- Address: 4720 Starkey Road, SW, Roanoke, VA 24018
- Phone: (540) 400-8468
- Website: https://www.azariosalon.com
8Byers Technical Institute
About the School
High-quality trade programs are also available in other Virginia cities.
One such example is Byers Technical Institute in Buena Vista- a school that offers programs designed to prepare students for high-demand trade jobs.
The institute is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available:
- Accelerated Welding Program
- Combination Pipe Welding Program
- Pipe/Mechanical Trade Welding Program
- Introduction to Welding
The Accelerate Welding program consists of eight module courses that prepare students with little or no welding experience for an entry-level structural, fabrication welding position in a workplace or in the commercial/industrial construction field.
Tuition for the 14-week program is $5,500.
The curriculum includes:
- Oxy-Fuel/Plasma Cutting
- Basic SMAW (stick)
- Basic GMAW/FCAW (MIG/Flux Core)
- Advanced GMAW
- Introduction to Blueprint Reading/Trade Math
- OSHA 10-Hour for Construction
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 2694 Glasgow Highway, Buena Vista, Virginia 24416
- Phone: (540) 258-1028
- Website: https://byerstechnicalinstitute.com
9Virginia Technical Academy
About the School
Located in Newport News, Virginia Technical Academy provides several career track programs that prepare students for careers in Electrical, HVAC/R, Plumbing, Building Maintenance, and Appliance Technology.
The credit hours earned through the programs may be transferred to a college to count toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available at the academy:
- HVAC/R
- Plumbing
- Building/ Property Maintenance Career Track
- Electrical
- Appliance Repair
The academy offers four levels of HVAC/R training.
Each HVAC/R programs consist of 180 hours of classroom and lab learning coursework.
The Electrical Career Track program also consists of four levels, each including 180 hours of classroom and lab learning coursework.
Students in the Building/Property Maintenance track learn how to apply technical knowledge and skills to keep a building functioning and to service a variety of structures, including commercial and industrial buildings and mobile homes.
Contact Information
- Address: 809 Omni BlvdNewport News, VA 23606
- Phone: 757-586-5322
- Website: https://vtacademy.com
10Accelerated Academy
About the School
Accelerated Academy offers a dental assistant training program available at several locations across the nation.
Classes are held on Saturdays to allow students to keep a job while attending the course.
Students complete the program and are job-ready in as little as 10 weeks.
Graduates meet all the requirements to work as a dental assistant in the state of Virginia:
- Certificate in Dental Assisting
- VWCC Certificate of Completion in Radiation Health and Safety
- CPR/BLS Certificate
Tuition is $2,979 for early registration and $3,379 for final registration.
Applicants must be at least 17 years of age or older
Contact Information
- Address: 3200 Waterlick Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24502
- Phone: (844) 727-3755
- Website: https://acceleratedacademy.us
Final Thoughts
The programs included in our list of the best Roanoke trade schools provide plenty of training options for adults and high school students who want to learn a new trade through hands-on education.
Now that you have read our list, we invite you to continue the research and apply for the program that best meets your learning style and career aspirations.
Trade Schools by City in Virginia
