How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Girard Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Girard PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Girard PA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Girard PA can undertake a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Girard PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Girard PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Girard PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Girard PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Girard PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Girard PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Girard home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Girard PA, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
How Long To Become An Electrician Girard Pennsylvania
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long To Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Learn To Be An Electrician Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Girard PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Girard, Pennsylvania
Girard's history began with a petition to "Township Status" in 1832 by reassigning lands previously allocated to neighboring municipalities (Springfield, Fairview, and Elk Creek). The name is in honor of Stephen Girard, a banking tycoon of the late 1700s and early 1800s.[5][6] Stephen Girard, a resident of Philadelphia at that time, was chosen for a variety of reasons. He owned much of the neighboring Springfield Township, and had been admired by the residents in the region. Additionally, Girard officials had been lobbying with Stephen Girard's foundation, upon his death in 1831, to be the site of the bequeathed Girard College. Despite this attempt, his family, and will executors chose to establish the boarding school in Philadelphia, where Stephen Girard had a long-standing tradition as a local philanthropist.
Girard is located in western Erie County at 42°0′21″N 80°19′17″W / 42.00583°N 80.32139°W / 42.00583; -80.32139 (42.005954, -80.321481).[7] It is bordered to the northwest by the borough of Lake City and on all other sides by Girard Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.1 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2), or 0.81%, is water.[4]Elk Creek roughly follows the southwest border of the borough as it flows northwest to Lake Erie.
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