How to Choose the Best Electrician Tech School near Jenkintown Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Jenkintown PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only 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 help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Jenkintown PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Jenkintown PA can perform a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually 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 may be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving expenses from Jenkintown PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Jenkintown PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Jenkintown PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Jenkintown PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Jenkintown PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Jenkintown PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Jenkintown residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Jenkintown PA, confirm that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrician Trade Schools Near Me Jenkintown Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Trade Schools Near Me and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Certification Courses. But as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Jenkintown PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Jenkintown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Center City Philadelphia. "Jenkintown" is also used to describe a number of neighborhoods surrounding the borough, which also are known by names such as Meadowbrook, Rydal, Crosswicks, Fox Chase Manor, Jenkintown Manor, Noble, and Switchville. While the post office will deliver "Jenkintown"-addressed mail to these areas, they are not part of the political entity of Jenkintown; they are within Abington Township. Jenkintown is surrounded by Abington Township to the north, west, and east, and borders Cheltenham Township to the south.
The Borough of Jenkintown is located just outside Philadelphia along the Route 611 corridor between Abington and Cheltenham Townships. The Borough was settled in about 1697 and incorporated on December 8, 1874 when approximately 248 acres (1.00 km2) was taken from Abington Township. Today, the Borough is approximately 0.58 square miles and is home to 4,500 residents.
The Borough is a mostly residential community that is separated into East and West by the Business District that runs along and surrounds Old York Road (Route 611) corridor. On the east side of Old York Road, residential development is predominantly characterized by larger detached single-family homes on lots larger than the Borough average. On the southeast side of York Road, there is a small mixed concentration of row homes, duplexes, and single-family residences. The majority of the residential development, however, is located to the west of York Road. This area consists of a traditional small town mix of detached single-family homes, duplexes, and row homes. Located throughout this area are several multi-family apartment buildings that are residential rental properties. At the center of this residential area are the Jenkintown Elementary School and the Jenkintown High School.
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