How to Pick the Right Electrician Training School near Trafford Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Trafford PA. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Trafford PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Trafford PA can carry out a wide range of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to 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 generally around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Trafford PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Trafford PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Trafford PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 assist Trafford PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Trafford PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Trafford PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Trafford residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized 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 feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Trafford PA, verify that the schools you are looking at 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 protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrician Schools Trafford Pennsylvania
Choosing the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Industrial Electrician School. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Trafford PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Trafford, Pennsylvania
Trafford is a borough in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, the borough lies primarily in Westmoreland County; only a small portion extends into Allegheny County. It was incorporated in 1904 from the northernmost corner of North Huntingdon Township, and was named by George Westinghouse for Trafford near Manchester, England. The population was 3,174 at the 2010 census.[3] Of this, 3,113 were in Westmoreland County, and only 61 were in Allegheny County.
Trafford has four borders, including Penn Township to the northeast, North Huntingdon from the east-northeast to the south, and the Allegheny County neighborhoods of North Versailles Township to the west and Monroeville to the north.
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 3,236 people, 1,526 households, and 900 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,258.6 people per square mile (873.7/km²). There were 1,631 housing units at an average density of 1,138.4 per square mile (440.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.27% White, 0.68% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 83
2 Reviews 
15 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
2 Reviews 