How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Technical School near Willow Grove Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Willow Grove PA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Willow Grove PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Willow Grove PA can undertake a vast array of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three 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 vocational school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling costs from Willow Grove PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Willow Grove PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Willow Grove PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Willow Grove PA students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together 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 electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Willow Grove PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment 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, check with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Willow Grove PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Willow Grove residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Willow Grove PA, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Schooling For Electricians Willow Grove Pennsylvania
Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Schooling For Electricians and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Programs. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Willow Grove PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
Willow Grove is a census-designated place (CDP) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A community in Philadelphia's northern suburbs, the population was 15,726 at the 2010 census. It is located in Upper Dublin Township, Abington Township and Upper Moreland Township. Willow Grove was once known for Willow Grove Park, an amusement park that was open from 1896 to 1976, now the site of Willow Grove Park Mall. Willow Grove is considered an edge city of Philadelphia with large amounts of retail and office space.[3]
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove was located northwest of the Willow Grove CDP in Horsham Township.[4] NAS JRB Willow Grove transitioned into Horsham Air National Guard Station in September 2011.[citation needed]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2), of which 0.28% is water. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and its hardiness zone is 7a.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 393
10 Reviews 
39 Reviews 
92 Reviews 
40 Reviews 
132 Reviews 
22 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
8 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
5 Reviews 