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How to Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Abington Pennsylvania

Abington PA electrician working on circuit board The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Abington PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.

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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs

Abington PA electrician on power line pole There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Abington PA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Abington PA electrician wiring box Electricians in Abington PA can perform a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 levels of competency:

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 vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools

Abington PA student attending electrician school online An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools 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 students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling costs from Abington PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Questions to ask Abington PA electrician schools When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Abington PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed 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 even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Abington PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Abington PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Abington PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using 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. Otherwise, ask a local Abington PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Abington residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure 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 Abington PA, confirm that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Electrical College Abington Pennsylvania

Abington PA electricians working on power lines Picking the best electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical College and wanting more information on the topic Online Electrical Certificate Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Abington PA.

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Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to Philadelphia's northern fringe.[6] The population was 55,310 as of the 2010 census, making it the second most populous township in Montgomery County (following Lower Merion Township). The population density is 3603.3 per square mile, making it the second most densely populated township in Montgomery County (following Cheltenham Township).

Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities, dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's oldest transportation routes, industries and churches. Many of these older business and transportation centers were the forerunners of modern Abington. Abington contains the Willow Grove Park Mall, several small businesses, and a few of Montgomery County's largest employers.[2]

The land that comprises Abington today was purchased from the native Lenape by William Penn during the 1680s. By the next decade, a handful of European settlers built and lived in Hill Township, at the crossroads of Susquehanna Street Road and Old York Road. After brief times under other names, the township incorporated as Abington in 1704. The town's name is likely taken from parishes in England formed over 900 years ago in Northamptonshire or Cambridgeshire.[7] A local 1734 census counted 42 resident landowners.[8] During the American Revolutionary War, there was a small battle that took place at Edge Hill. (See: Battle of White Marsh).[6]