How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Philadelphia Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Philadelphia PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to evaluate. For instance, some students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several options to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Philadelphia PA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Philadelphia PA can undertake a multitude of tasks, 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 normally 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, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of competency:
- 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Philadelphia PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Philadelphia PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Philadelphia PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent 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 broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Philadelphia PA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Philadelphia PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Philadelphia PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Philadelphia home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges 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 a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out 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 assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Philadelphia PA, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Electrical Technician Courses Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Technician Courses and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Degrees. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Philadelphia PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Philadelphia (Ancient Greek: φίλος ἀδελφός), known colloquially as Philly, is the largest city in the U.S. state and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with a 2018 census-estimated population of 1,584,138.[7]Since 1854, the city has been coterminous with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the eighth-largest U.S. metropolitan statistical area, with over 6 million residents as of 2017[update].[5] Philadelphia is also the economic and cultural anchor of the greater Delaware Valley, located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, within the Northeast megalopolis. The Delaware Valley's population of 7.2 million ranks it as the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States.[6]
William Penn, an English Quaker, founded the city in 1682 to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony.[10] Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 at the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Several other key events occurred in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War including the First Continental Congress, the preservation of the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Germantown, and the Siege of Fort Mifflin. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until being overtaken by New York City in 1790; the city was also one of the nation's capitals during the revolution, serving as temporary U.S. capital while Washington, D.C. was under construction. In the 19th century, Philadelphia became a major industrial center and a railroad hub. The city grew from an influx of European immigrants, most of whom came from Ireland, Italy and Germany—the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city as of 2015[update].[11] In the early 20th century, Philadelphia became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration after the Civil War,[12] as well as Puerto Ricans.[13] The city's population doubled from one million to two million people between 1890 and 1950.
The Philadelphia area's many universities and colleges make it a top study destination, as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub.[14][15] According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Philadelphia area had a gross domestic product of US$445 billion in 2017, the eighth-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.[16] Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to five Fortune 1000 companies. The Philadelphia skyline is expanding, with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016,[17] including several nationally prominent skyscrapers.[18] Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city.[19][20]Fairmount Park, when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States.[21] The city is known for its arts, culture, cuisine, and colonial history, attracting 42 million domestic tourists in 2016 who spent US$6.8 billion, generating an estimated $11 billion in total economic impact in the city and surrounding four counties of Pennsylvania.[22] Philadelphia has also emerged as a biotechnology hub.[23]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 367
41 Reviews 
99 Reviews 
39 Reviews 
140 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
25 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
17 Reviews 