How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Lake Harmony Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lake Harmony PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several approaches to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lake Harmony PA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Lake Harmony PA can perform 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 completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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 enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Lake Harmony PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Lake Harmony PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Lake Harmony PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lake Harmony PA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Lake Harmony PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on 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 using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lake Harmony PA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lake Harmony home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees 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 are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lake Harmony PA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Class Lake Harmony Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Class and wanting more information on the topic Master Electrician School. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lake Harmony PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Harmony, Pennsylvania
Interstate 79 passes just east of the borough, with access from exits 87 and 88. Via I-79 it is 30 miles (48 km) south to downtown Pittsburgh and 99 miles (159 km) north to Erie. Pennsylvania Route 68 passes through the borough just south of the downtown and leads west into Zelienople and east 17 miles (27 km) to Butler, the county seat.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 937 people, 409 households, and 267 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,468.0 people per square mile (952.0/km²). There were 434 housing units at an average density of 1,143.1 per square mile (441.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.15% White, 0.53% African American, 0.21% Native American, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 409 households, out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.82.
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