How to Select the Best Electrician Tech School near Allentown Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Allentown PA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Allentown PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive 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 required by most states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Allentown PA can perform a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to 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 prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Allentown PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Allentown PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Allentown 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 obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Allentown PA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Allentown PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Allentown PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Allentown residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools 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 Allentown PA, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Certification Program Allentown Pennsylvania
Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Certification Program and wanting more information on the topic Train To Be Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program 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 degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the 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 Allentown PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch: Allenschteddel) is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city and the 231st largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently the fastest growing city in all of Pennsylvania.[10] It is the largest city in the metropolitan area known as the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 821,623 residents as of 2010[update]. Allentown constitutes a portion of the New York City Combined Statistical Area and is the county seat of Lehigh County.[11] In 2012, the city celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1762.[12]
Located on the Lehigh River, Allentown is the largest of three adjacent cities, in Northampton and Lehigh counties, that make up a region of eastern Pennsylvania known as the Lehigh Valley, the other two cities being Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Easton, Pennsylvania.[13] Allentown is 50 miles (80 km) north-northwest of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous[14] city in the United States, 90 miles (140 km) east-northeast of Harrisburg, the state capital, and 90 miles (140 km) west of New York City, the nation's largest city.
The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad using former Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad main line trackage), runs through Allentown heading east across the Delaware River. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Reading Line runs through Allentown heading west to Reading, Pennsylvania.
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