How to Find the Best Electrician Vocational School near Glenshaw Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Glenshaw PA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many factors to examine. For example, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are several options to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Glenshaw PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Glenshaw PA can carry out a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Glenshaw PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Glenshaw PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Glenshaw PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Glenshaw PA students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Glenshaw PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Glenshaw PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Glenshaw residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Glenshaw PA, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Schooling Requirements Glenshaw Pennsylvania
Picking the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Schooling Requirements and wanting more information on the topic Home Electrical Courses. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Glenshaw PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Shaler Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Shaler Township is a township in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It consists of much of the community of Glenshaw and several neighboring communities. The population was 28,757 at the 2010 census.
Traders began settling in the Shaler area in the mid-18th century. The most prominent early trader in the area was George Croghan, who came in the early 1740s. By 1754, settlement included the Pine Creek trading post, where Europeans traded fur and skins with the Mingo and other Native Americans in the Ohio Valley. The second early European settlement was Girty's Run, established by Simon Girty.[3]
The village of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania—at the center of what became Shaler Township—was established in the early 19th century, beginning with a log sawmill built by John Shaw, Sr. after he bought 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land north of Pittsburgh in 1800. The area became known as "Shaw's Glen", and later Glenshaw. Members of the Shaw family subsequently built a log gristmill, a sickle factory, and a coal mine.[4]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 84
6 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
15 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
4 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 