How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Fairview Village Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Fairview Village PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Fairview Village PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently 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 brief summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Fairview Village PA can carry out a vast array of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing 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 become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in many specialties, 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Fairview Village PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Fairview Village PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Fairview Village PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can mean 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Fairview Village PA students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Fairview Village PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Fairview Village PA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Fairview Village home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure 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 at night or on weekends near Fairview Village PA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Accredited Electrical Certification Training Fairview Village Pennsylvania
Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Electrical Certification Training and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Apprenticeship School. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Fairview Village PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Fairview Village, Pennsylvania
Fairview Village is an unincorporated community in Worcester Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Fairview Village is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 363 and Germantown Pike.[2]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 363
18 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
101 Reviews 
40 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
40 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
6 Reviews 