How to Find the Right Electrician Technical School near Sharpsville Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Sharpsville PA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training 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 being an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Sharpsville 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 common as the other three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Sharpsville PA can carry out a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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 vocational school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Sharpsville PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Sharpsville 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 the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Sharpsville PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Sharpsville PA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Sharpsville PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local 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 on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Sharpsville PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Sharpsville residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Sharpsville PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electronics Trade School Sharpsville Pennsylvania
Picking the best electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electronics Trade School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Training Certificate. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are reviewing 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 teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Sharpsville PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Sharpsville, Pennsylvania
Sharpsville is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Shenango River. The population was 4,415 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (1.42%) is water.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 4,500 people, 1,912 households and 1,263 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,244.3 per square mile (1,250.0/km2). There were 2,016 housing units at an average density of 1,453.4 per square mile (560.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.20% White, 2.31% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
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