How to Find the Right Electrician Vocational School near Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lehigh Valley PA. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general ways to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Lehigh Valley PA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Lehigh Valley PA can perform a wide range of functions, 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 states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you choose not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Lehigh Valley PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Lehigh Valley PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Lehigh Valley PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lehigh Valley PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Lehigh Valley PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lehigh Valley PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lehigh Valley home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Lehigh Valley PA, check that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrician Certification Online Courses Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Certification Online Courses and wanting more information on the topic Study To Be An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lehigh Valley PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley (/ˈliːhaɪ/), known officially by the United States Census Bureau and the United States Office of Management and Budget[3] as the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area and referred to colloquially as The Valley,[4] is a metropolitan region officially consisting of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania and Warren county on the western edge of New Jersey, in the Eastern United States.[5] The Lehigh Valley's largest city, with a population of 120,443, is Allentown.[6]
The region is a part of the larger New York City metropolitan area, but borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area. All of the region, except Warren County, New Jersey, is part of Philadelphia's designated media market.
The Lehigh Valley is the third most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area in the state of Pennsylvania with a population of 821,173 residents as of the 2010 U.S. Census.[2] The region is eclipsed in total population in Pennsylvania only by the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas.[2] It is the 64th most populated metropolitan area in the United States. Lehigh County, the Valley's largest county in terms of overall population, is among the fastest growing in the state and, as of 2010–2012, ranks in the 79th percentile for population growth nationally. The core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties along U.S. Route 22 and Interstate 78. The Lehigh Valley is proximate to two of the nation's largest cities: New York City, which is about 75 miles to its east, and Philadelphia, which is 50 miles to its southeast.
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