Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Atglen PA 19310

How to Become an Electrician in Atglen Pennsylvania

Atglen PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Atglen PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Atglen PA

Atglen PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Atglen PA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most typical programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish 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 prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Atglen PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Atglen PA can undertake a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method 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 process in most cases includes 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 tech school that you pick not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Atglen PA

attending electrician school online in Atglen PA An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Atglen PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Atglen PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Atglen PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Atglen PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate 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 course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified 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 directory of graduates, which can mean 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Atglen PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Atglen PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Atglen PA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Atglen residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Atglen PA, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Atglen PA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Atglen PA area.

Atglen, Pennsylvania

The land upon which Atglen now stands was once a wilderness. Cutting through it were paths made by Indians who traveled from Paxtang (present day Harrisburg) to present day New Castle, Delaware to trade with the Swedes and later, the English. The Great Minquas Path was one of these trails.

In 1717, Sadsbury township was organized. It included all of present-day Sadsbury Township as well as Fallowfield, Highland, and Valley townships. In August 1728, several inhabitants petitioned the court to separate Sadsbury from Fallowfield because of the former's size. In November of that year, the township was subdivided into East and West Sadsbury, and in 1729, upon the division of Chester County into Lancaster and Chester counties, the line between the two divisions of the township was made to conform to the county line.

During the mid 18th century more settlers arrived, drawn by the township's rich farming land. The Indian trails became horse tracks and later wagon tracks as farmers shipped their goods to market in Philadelphia, Newport, Delaware, and New Castle, Delaware. The old Provincial Highway as authorized by the government was laid out in 1730 and the Newport Road to the ore mines at Conwall in Lebanon County, was laid out in 1796.

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Pick the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Atglen PA

Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are considering 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 teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Atglen PA.