How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Hannastown Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hannastown PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are three general ways to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Hannastown PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Hannastown PA can perform a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Hannastown PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Hannastown PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Hannastown PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Hannastown PA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Hannastown PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hannastown PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Hannastown home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Hannastown PA, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Online Electrical Certificate Programs Hannastown Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrical Certificate Programs and wanting more information on the topic Commercial Electrician Training. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Hannastown PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. At the 2010 census, the population was 365,169.[1] The county seat is Greensburg.[2] Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford Counties, Westmoreland County was founded on February 26, 1773, and was the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania whose entire territorial boundary was located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Westmoreland County originally included the present-day counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong counties. It is named after Westmorland, a historic county of England.
At the 2010 census,[9] there were 365,169 people, 153,650 households and 101,928 families residing in the county. The population density was 355.4 per square mile (137.2/km²). There were 168,199 housing units at an average density of 163.7 per square mile (63.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 0.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 153,650 households of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.
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