Quick Facts

• Location: New Castle, Delaware
• Address: 500 Ship’s Landing Way, New Castle, DE 19720
• School Type: Public/Workforce Vocational & Adult Education Center
• Programs Offered: Electrical Trades, HVAC & Refrigeration, Plumbing, Welding & Fabrication, CDL, CNA and additional workforce training
• Training Style: Accelerated classroom + extensive hands-on occupational training
• Tuition Range: Approximately $3,315–$6,255 for major current skilled-trade/CDL programs for non-funded students
• Program Length: Roughly 6–20 weeks, depending on program
• Online Programs Available: No prominent fully online trade programs
• Hybrid Learning: No; primary skilled-trade programs are in person
• Financial Aid: Does not operate like a traditional FAFSA college; workforce/ITA and VA funding may apply to eligible students
• Class Options: Primarily full-time daytime; evening welding also available
• Certification Opportunities: NCCER, OSHA-10, EPA 608, R410A, forklift and apprenticeship-related credentials depending on program
• Average Rating: ⭐ 4.9 (58 Reviews)
• Website: Official Delaware Skills Center website

Overview

Delaware Skills Center is one of the strongest pure workforce-training options in Delaware. Rather than requiring students to spend one or two years completing a conventional college credential, the center offers accelerated career programs designed to move adults into employment or apprenticeship relatively quickly.

Its strongest TradeSchoolScout programs are Electrical Trades, HVAC & Refrigeration, Plumbing, and Welding & Fabrication. Most full-time classes meet Monday through Friday and combine classroom instruction with hands-on occupational training. Several programs also give successful students first-year apprenticeship credit and advanced placement into Delaware’s apprenticeship system.

The center is partially funded through the Delaware Workforce Development Board and Department of Labor, and its policies reference ITA-funded and VA-funded students.

Programs Offered

Electrical Trades

The current Electrical Trades program operates in approximately 12-week cycles. Published 2026–27 sessions include August 17–November 10, November 16–February 25, and March 1–May 25.

Current tuition for a non-funded applicant is:

$3,315 + $155 background check/drug screening.

This pathway is particularly useful for adults wanting an entry point toward electrical apprenticeship rather than a college degree.

HVAC & Refrigeration

The HVAC & Refrigeration course is:

• 12 weeks
• 420 hours
• Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Non-funded tuition: $3,515

Credentials currently include:

• NCCER HVAC Level 1
• First-Year Apprenticeship Completion
• EPA Section 608
• OSHA-10
• R410A Refrigerant Certification
• Forklift certification

That’s a particularly strong package for an accelerated HVAC course.

Plumbing

The Plumbing program is also:

• 12 weeks / 420 hours
• Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Non-funded tuition: $3,690

Students completing the program can earn NCCER Core, NCCER Plumbing Level 1, first-year apprenticeship certification, OSHA-10 and advanced placement into the second year of Delaware’s apprenticeship program.

Welding & Fabrication

The full-time Welding & Fabrication program runs longer than the other construction programs. Current 2026–27 cycles run from August 17–January 8 and January 19–May 27.

Non-funded tuition is $4,965, plus the $155 screening charge.

Credentials include NCCER Core, NCCER Welding Level 1, first-year apprenticeship certification and OSHA-10, with advanced placement into the second year of Delaware apprenticeship.

An additional 10-week / 107-hour evening welding course is currently priced at $3,365 for non-funded students.

CDL Training

The Class A CDL program runs:

• 6 weeks
• 160 hours
• 40 classroom hours
• 40 range/pre-trip hours
• 80 range/road hours

Current non-funded tuition is $6,255, including training and one DMV driver’s test.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Current non-funded prices include:

• Electrical — $3,315
• HVAC — $3,515
• Plumbing — $3,690
• Full-time Welding — $4,965
• CDL — $6,255

Most programs also require a $155 background check and drug screening.

The center should not be described as a conventional FAFSA/Pell college. It does, however, reference ITA-funded students, VA-funded students and workforce funding through Delaware agencies.

Why Students Choose This School

• Accelerated career training
• Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Welding under one roof
• NCCER credentials
• Apprenticeship credit
• EPA 608 preparation/certification in HVAC
• OSHA-10
• Affordable compared with many private career schools
• CDL training
• Evening welding option
• Workforce funding opportunities for eligible students

Career Opportunities

Graduates may pursue entry-level roles such as:

• Electrician Apprentice
• HVAC Apprentice
• HVAC Service Technician
• Plumbing Apprentice
• Welder/Fabricator
• Building Maintenance Technician
• Commercial Driver

Licensing and apprenticeship requirements still apply where required by Delaware law.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied Google data:

⭐ Average Rating: 4.9 (58 Reviews)

That’s an unusually strong rating with a respectable review sample for a public workforce-training center.

Enrollment Tips

Most skilled-trade programs require applicants to be:

• Delaware residents
• At least 18 years old
• High-school graduates or GED holders
• Able to pass reading and math testing
• Able to pass a criminal-background check and drug screening
• Able to provide reliable transportation

CDL applicants must be at least 21 and have additional driving/DOT requirements.

Because funded seats may be available, students should ask about ITA/WIOA or other workforce funding before paying the published non-funded tuition themselves.

Bottom Line

Delaware Skills Center should be a Featured School on the Delaware page. Its combination of Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Welding programs lasting only a few months, industry credentials, apprenticeship advancement and comparatively modest published tuition makes it one of Delaware’s strongest alternatives to a conventional two-year technical college.