How to Pick the Best Electrician Technical School near Stahlstown Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Stahlstown PA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Stahlstown PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Stahlstown PA can perform a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Stahlstown PA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Stahlstown PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Stahlstown PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Stahlstown PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Stahlstown PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Stahlstown PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Stahlstown residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Stahlstown PA, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Night School Electrical Courses Stahlstown Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Night School Electrical Courses and wanting more information on the topic How To Become A Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Stahlstown PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. At the 2010 census, the population was 365,169.[1] The county seat is Greensburg.[2] Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford Counties, Westmoreland County was founded on February 26, 1773, and was the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania whose entire territorial boundary was located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Westmoreland County originally included the present-day counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong counties. It is named after Westmorland, a historic county of England.
At the 2010 census,[9] there were 365,169 people, 153,650 households and 101,928 families residing in the county. The population density was 355.4 per square mile (137.2/km²). There were 168,199 housing units at an average density of 163.7 per square mile (63.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 0.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 153,650 households of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.
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