How to Pick the Right Electrician Tech School near Lewisberry Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Lewisberry PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate 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 review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lewisberry PA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Lewisberry PA can perform a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure 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 municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 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 ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An option that you may have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Lewisberry PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lewisberry PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed 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 while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Lewisberry PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lewisberry PA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Lewisberry PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides 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 instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lewisberry PA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lewisberry home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive 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 experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lewisberry PA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrical Apprenticeship School Lewisberry Pennsylvania
Choosing the ideal electrical trade school 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 Electrical Apprenticeship School and wanting more information on the topic Vocational Training Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lewisberry PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania
The lands in and around the borough of Lewisberry were under control of the Susquehannock people until the first Quaker settlements in the 1730s. These settlements were among the first Quaker settlements in America west of the Susquehanna River. Among the group of original titleholders along the small creek that would become known as Bennett Run were Ellis Lewis, Joseph Bennett, John Rankin, John Heald, and John Hall. At this time, the area that would become York County was still almost entirely populated by the Susquehannock Indians. Yet there are few recorded conflicts between these early settlers and the native population. In this area that would later become majority Pennsylvania German, the first and second waves of settlers were almost entirely English speakers and included the Kirks, Rankins, Huttons, Garetsons, Nebingers, Eppleys, Starrs, Fosters, Clines, Stromingers, Moores, Frankelbergers, Suttons, Wickershams, Prowells, Millers, and Hammonds. While most were Quakers, a significant minority were Anglicans. The Quaker meeting house at the intersection of Old Quaker and Lewisberry roads (PA 382) is the original Quaker meeting house in the area.
The borough's founder, Eli Lewis, was born nearby in 1750, the son of one of the original settlers, Ellis Lewis. On the eve of the American Revolution, Eli opened a store on the site of the current borough. Lewis and members of other prominent families in the area served in the Pennsylvania militia, and Eli rose to the rank of major. Over the course of the war, the town became known for producing guns, and the Committee of Safety for York County contracted with area gunsmiths to supply the Continental Army; guns made in Lewisberry were in use by the US Army as late as the Siege of Veracruz during the Mexican–American War of 1846. Following the Revolutionary War, Lewis' fortune grew (and he eventually owned 850 acres in the area) and his store was the center of commerce in the Redland Valley. In 1798, Issac Kirk surveyed twelve acres of land and laid out lots for Lewis, who wanted a town to exist on the site. While all of the lots were not immediately sold, many were, and the town began a modest growth. Between 1790 and 1798, Major Lewis had lived in Harrisburg, where he took up printing and published the first Harrisburg newspaper, The Advertiser, which was then sold to John Wyeth, who renamed it The Oracle of Dauphin. While living in Harrisburg, Lewis also published the popular poem, "St. Clair's Defeat," which described the defeat of Arthur St. Clair by the tribes of the Western Confederacy during the Battle of the Wabash.
Lewisberry was not incorporated until 1832, fifty years later, and the first census figures of 1840 show a population of 220. In 1800, Henry Ensminger opened a large tannery just south of town that was later owned and operated by Samuel Grove. More significant for the town's growth was John Herman, who built a large flour mill on the west side of the borough. But the town's most successful operator was Andrew Cline, who ran a large and successful milling business during the second half of the 19th century. The mill and house are still standing just outside the borough beside Silver Lake, which was created to power the mill. One of Lewisberry's most important small industries during the 19th and early 20th centuries was the manufacture of block brimstone matches, and the families of Lyman Lewis, Herman Kirk, Moses Magrew, Rt. Starr, and Lyman Shettle became prosperous through this industry.
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