How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Flourtown Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Flourtown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of points to consider. For instance, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Flourtown PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly 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 offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Flourtown PA can undertake a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An option that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Flourtown PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Flourtown PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have attained 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 an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Flourtown PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many 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 considering 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 suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Flourtown PA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Flourtown PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Flourtown PA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Flourtown residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Flourtown PA, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Technical Schools Flourtown Pennsylvania
Picking the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Technical Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certificate Online. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Flourtown PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Flourtown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a ZIP code of 19031. Flourtown is adjacent to the neighborhoods of Erdenheim, Oreland, Whitemarsh, and Chestnut Hill. The population of Flourtown was 4,538 at the 2010 census.
As of the 2010 census, the CDP was 89.3% White, 5.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.4% were Some Other Race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 1.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[4]
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 4,669 people, 1,746 households, and 1,292 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,305.0 people per square mile (1,278.5/km2). There were 1,772 housing units at an average density of 1,254.3/sq mi (485.2/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.72% White, 3.30% African American, 1.84% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population. 24.2% were of Irish, 14.2% Italian, 12.7% German and 11.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000.
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