How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Mifflinburg Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Mifflinburg PA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to evaluate. For instance, some students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are three general approaches to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Mifflinburg PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Mifflinburg PA can undertake a wide range of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in numerous 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 tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting costs from Mifflinburg PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Mifflinburg PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained 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 relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Mifflinburg PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 assist Mifflinburg PA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Mifflinburg PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Mifflinburg PA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Mifflinburg residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Mifflinburg PA, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrical Online Training Mifflinburg Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Online Training and wanting more information on the topic Online Electrical Training. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must 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 should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mifflinburg PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania
Mifflinburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States first settled in 1792 by S. Lulis and Catharina Jungman (Youngman) and their two children. They divided the land into 60’ by 120’ plots that were sold to other adventurous settlers, many of them German, and the village of Youngmanstown was formed. A few years later George Rote (Rhoade) laid out a village just east of Youngmanstown, known as Greenville or Rotestown, after George's death. Eventually, the two settlements merged at Third Street. In 1827 the two villages combined and were incorporated, the combined village was named Mifflinburg, in honor of Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania after the 1790 Constitution. Historically the town was known for the manufacture of horse-drawn vehicles, known as buggies.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 3,594 people, 1,506 households, and 1,028 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,976.0 people per square mile (762.4/km²). There were 1,605 housing units at an average density of 882.4 per square mile (340.5/km²). As of 2010, the racial makeup of the borough was 97.5% White alone, 0.9% Hispanic, 0.6% Black alone, 0.5% two or more races, 0.3% Asian alone, 0.08% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone, 0.06% other race alone, and 0.03% American Indian alone.
The Borough is situated on lands that were originally granted in 1769 to the veteran officers who served under Colonel Henry Bouquet during Pontiac's War (1763-1766) in lieu of payment for their service and ultimate victory at the Battle of Bushy Run just east of Pittsburgh. In 1792, S. Lulis and Catharina Jungman (Youngman) and their two children, came from Fort Augusta (now Sunbury) Pennsylvania to the Buffalo Valley to settle on land given to them by Catharina's father. They divided the land into 60’ by 120’ plots that were sold to other adventurous settlers, many of them German, and the village of Youngmanstown was formed. A few years later George Rote (Rhoade) laid out a village just east of Youngmanstown, known as Greenville or Rotestown, after George's death. Eventually, the two settlements merged at Third Street. In 1827 the two villages combined and were incorporated. The combined village was named Mifflinburg, in honor of Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania after the 1790 Constitution. The merged towns were known as Mifflinburg before 1827 however, because when Union County was formed from Northumberland County on March 22, 1813, that PA legislative act also established Mifflinburg as the seat of government of the newly formed county, with the first courthouse located at 406 Green Street and other government offices located in various other buildings throughout the town. It remained the county seat until 1815 when it was moved to New Berlin, and then to Lewisburg in 1855 where it remains today.
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