How to Find the Best Electrician Technical School near Lansdale Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lansdale PA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Lansdale PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following 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 provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Lansdale PA can undertake a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Lansdale PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lansdale PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final 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 additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Lansdale PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lansdale PA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Lansdale PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lansdale PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lansdale residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lansdale PA, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Electrician Certification Program Lansdale Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably 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 Certification Program and wanting more information on the topic Train To Be Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lansdale PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia. It is a densely-populated commuter town, with many residents traveling daily to Philadelphia using the SEPTA Main Line. In 1900, 2,754 people lived here; in 1910, 3,551; and in 1940, 9,316 people were inhabitants of Lansdale. The population was 16,269 at the time of the 2010 census.
The earliest known settlers in Lansdale were members of the Jenkins family. At the peak of its growth, the Jenkins homestead occupied approximately 120 acres of land. The construction of the North Pennsylvania Railroad during the 1850s contributed to rapid growth and expansion in Lansdale. Employment opportunities generated by the railroad brought settlers, housing, and local businesses to the area. By 1872, Lansdale Borough was officially incorporated and named after Phillip Lansdale Fox, chief surveyor of the North Penn Railroad. By the naming conventions of the time, it should have been called Jenkintown, since the land immediately surrounding the train station was owned by the Jenkins family, but there was already a town by that name along the rail line.[3]
Lansdale is home to a Kugel ball, which is a dark grey granite sphere supported by a very thin film of water pumped from beneath its base.[5] The Kugel Ball is located in Railroad Plaza, adjacent to the SEPTA Lansdale/Doylestown Line train station in downtown Lansdale. The plaza consists of a bricked patio with benches centered on the Kugel Ball and closes at 11:00 pm. An annual 5k race is held in June, accordingly named the Kugel Ball race, which starts and ends at the actual Kugel Ball in Railroad Plaza.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 374
3 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
18 Reviews 
39 Reviews 
12 Reviews 
39 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
99 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
9 Reviews 