How to Find the Right Electrician Tech School near Souderton Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Souderton PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to examine. For example, many students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Souderton PA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Souderton PA can undertake a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of competency:
- 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving expenses from Souderton PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational 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 Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Souderton PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Souderton PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Souderton PA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Souderton PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Souderton PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Souderton residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Souderton PA, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Learn How To Be An Electrician Souderton Pennsylvania
Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Learn How To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic How Long Does It Take To Become An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Souderton PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Souderton, Pennsylvania
The town was originally named Welshtown, because it was settled by the Welsh. Souderton is prefigured in a map of 1847 as Souder's Lumberyard, and the new name was certainly in place by the railroad era in the second half of the 19th century.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²), of which, 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water. The terrain is mildly rolling hills, with some steeper hills in the downtown area, and flat terrain throughout.
The Mayor is Jonathan Walsh. Souderton also has an appointed Junior Councilor who is appointed when under 18 of age and serves a 1-year term, without voting privileges. The current Junior Councilor is E. Shane Myers.[4] The Borough Manager is P. Michael Coll.[5]
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