How to Choose the Best Electrician Tech School near Hermitage Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hermitage PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For instance, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple options to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Hermitage PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Hermitage PA can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 vocational school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Hermitage PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Hermitage PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Hermitage PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hermitage PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Hermitage PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hermitage PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hermitage residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Hermitage PA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
How Many Years Of College To Be An Electrician Hermitage Pennsylvania
Selecting the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Many Years Of College To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Certificate Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Hermitage PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Hermitage, Pennsylvania
Formerly known as Hickory Township (hence Hickory High School with its Hickory Hornet mascot). The City of Hermitage, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, was first settled in 1796, and the Township of Hickory was incorporated in 1832 from portions of the Shenango and Pymatuning townships. Following the incorporation of the cities of Sharon and Farrell and the Boroughs of Sharpsville and Wheatland, the remainder of the Township was incorporated into a First Class Township.
The Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law, Act 62 of 1972, provided all local governments in Pennsylvania a unique opportunity of true "home rule" On August 9, 1972, Ordinance 13–72 was enacted by the Board of Commissioners, providing for a referendum on electing a Governmental Study Commission of nine members. On November 17, 1972, the electors voted in favor of a commission and selected nine members with the task of studying present Township government and the alternative of an Optional Plan of Government or a Home Rule Charter.
On March 13, 1974, the final report of the Government Study Commission recommended a Home Rule Charter, which was approved on May 21, 1974 by a vote of 1,375 to 546. The Charter was to become effective on January 1, 1976.
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