How to Select the Best Electrician Training School near Catawissa Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Catawissa PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Catawissa PA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Catawissa PA can undertake a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually 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 skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Catawissa PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Catawissa PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Catawissa PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist Catawissa PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade 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 inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Catawissa PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Catawissa PA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Catawissa residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one 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 with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Catawissa PA, check that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Accredited Electrician Certification Training Catawissa Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Electrician Certification Training and wanting more information on the topic Online Electrician Certificate Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Catawissa PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Catawissa, Pennsylvania
Catawissa is twinned with Uxbridge, Ontario. The historic link began in 1805, when the Uxbridge area was granted by the British crown to Dr. Christopher Beswick, first medical doctor north of the Oak Ridges Moraine. While not a Quaker, he lived in Catawissa before moving to the Uxbridge area. Beswick Lane in the Ontario town is named after him.[4]
The area where Catawissa now is was originally owned by William Henry in 1769. Catawissa was laid out in 1787. At this time it was referred to as "Hughesburg" or "Catawissey". The lots of the town were distributed by lottery. When boats began to commonly travel along the Susquehanna River, Catawissa became locally important. Talk of a school in Catawissa began in 1796, and one was built there in 1800. The Catawissa Fire Company was founded in 1827. The Catawissa Deposit Bank was incorporated in 1871. The Catawissa Water Company was formed in 1882. A number of Masonic establishments were built in Catawissa in the mid to late 1800s.[5]
Catawissa is located in western Columbia County at 40°57′9″N 76°27′37″W / 40.95250°N 76.46028°W / 40.95250; -76.46028 (40.952458, -76.460393),[7] on the southeast side of the Susquehanna River. Catawissa Creek flows along the southern boundary of the borough into the Susquehanna. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.54 square miles (1.4 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 4.50%, is water.[3]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 13
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 