How to Find the Right Electrician Trade School near Ramey Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Ramey PA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address 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 educational options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Ramey PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Ramey PA can perform a wide range of functions, including 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 be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in several specializations, such as 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Ramey PA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Ramey PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Ramey PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Ramey PA students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many 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 inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Ramey PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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 with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Ramey PA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Ramey residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger 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 students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Ramey PA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Top Electrician Trade Schools Ramey Pennsylvania
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Top Electrician Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic How To Be Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Ramey PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Ramey, Pennsylvania
Ramey is located in southeastern Clearfield County at 40°48′1″N 78°24′5″W / 40.80028°N 78.40139°W / 40.80028; -78.40139 (40.800186, -78.401307),[4] at the intersection of Pennsylvania Routes 253 and 453. PA 253 leads northeast 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to Houtzdale, and PA 453 leads northwest 4 miles (6 km) to Madera. The two highways together lead southwest 3 miles (5 km) to Janesville.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 525 people, 207 households, and 156 families residing in the borough. The population density was 584.8 people per square mile (225.2/km²). There were 222 housing units at an average density of 247.3 per square mile (95.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.24% White, 0.38% Native American, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.
There were 207 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.95.
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