How to Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near Newry Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Newry PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Newry PA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Newry PA can undertake a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in various specializations, including 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Newry PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Newry PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned 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 crucial when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Newry PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can 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 a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Newry PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational 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. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Newry PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date 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 under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Newry PA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Newry home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Newry PA, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits 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.
Electrical Maintenance Training Newry Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrician 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 Maintenance Training and wanting more information on the topic Education Required To Be An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Newry PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Newry, Pennsylvania
Newry is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 270 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area and one of the communities comprising the Altoona Urban Area.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 245 people, 107 households, and 61 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,550.2 people per square mile (946.0/km²). There were 116 housing units at an average density of 1,207.4 per square mile (447.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.14% White, 0.82% African American, 0.82% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.
There were 107 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.08.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 6
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 