How to Choose the Best Electrician Tech School near Silver Spring Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Silver Spring PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, some students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located several that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Silver Spring PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular 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 completed before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Silver Spring PA can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 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 important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you may have looked at 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 instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Silver Spring PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Silver Spring PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Silver Spring PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent 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 directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Silver Spring PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Silver Spring PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Silver Spring PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Silver Spring residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Silver Spring PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Online Electrical Certificate Programs Silver Spring Pennsylvania
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrical Certificate Programs and wanting more information on the topic Commercial Electrician Training. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Silver Spring PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
The township is in northeastern Cumberland County and is bordered to the north by Perry County, the border following the ridgecrest of Blue Mountain. The southeast corner of the township borders the borough of Mechanicsburg.
Conodoguinet Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River, crosses the center of the township from west to east, making several long bends. Interstate 81 also crosses the center of the township, with access from Exit 57, Pennsylvania Route 114. U.S. Route 11 crosses the township south of I-81, passing through the two main unincorporated communities in the township, Hogestown and New Kingstown. The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) crosses the southwest corner of the township but without any direct access.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 32.8 square miles (85.0 km2), of which 32.3 square miles (83.7 km2) is land and 0.50 square miles (1.3 km2), or 1.55%, is water.[4]
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