How to Find the Best Electrician Vocational School near Portage Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Portage PA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many variables to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Portage PA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Portage PA can carry out a wide range of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing 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 the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Portage PA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Portage PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. 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 an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial 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 analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Portage PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Portage PA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Portage PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school 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, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Portage PA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Portage home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Portage PA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Training Courses For Electricians Portage Pennsylvania
Picking the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Training Courses For Electricians and wanting more information on the topic Trade School For Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Portage PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Portage, Pennsylvania
Portage is a borough with home rule status in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Ebensburg and 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Altoona. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,638 at the 2010 US census.[3]
Portage's name comes from the practice of portage or portaging which is the process of carrying a water craft or cargo over land between two bodies of water. The "portaging" that occurred in this area was due to the Allegheny Portage Railroad which ran from Hollidaysburg westward to Johnstown over the Allegheny Front, the height of land separating the Eastern Seaboard of the United States from the Ohio River Valley. The line opened in 1834 and Portage was situated on the #2 plane of the Allegheny Portage Railroad system. Pennsylvania Route 53 follows the route of the railroad through Portage. The unloading spot for the railroad in Portage was the Washington House, which was located where Portage Auto Wreckers is currently.
By 1854, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was considered obsolete due to the Pennsylvania Railroad which traveled over the Alleghenys considerably faster and safer. At the same time, another company, the New Portage Railroad, was attempting to do the same, but in 1857, the Pennsylvania Railroad bought the New Portage railroad and abandoned it.
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