Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Athens PA 18810

How to Become an Electrician in Athens Pennsylvania

Athens PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Athens PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Athens PA

Athens PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Athens PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Athens PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Athens PA can undertake a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way 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 several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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 vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Athens PA

attending electrician school online in Athens PA An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Athens PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Athens PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Athens PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Athens PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Athens PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Athens PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Athens PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Athens home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may 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 challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Athens PA, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, 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 Athens PA?

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

Athens, Pennsylvania

Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States, located 2 miles (3 km) south of the New York state line on the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. The population was 3,749 in 1900 and 3,796 in 1910. The population was 3,367 at the 2010 census.[4] Athens is in a small area locally known as "The Valley", a group of four contiguous communities in Pennsylvania and New York: Waverly, New York; South Waverly, Pennsylvania; Sayre, Pennsylvania; and Athens. The Valley has a population near 30,000.

In September 2011, Athens was heavily damaged by river flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. Much of Athens was under water, with the most damage in the downtown area along the river. Damage in nearby Tioga County, New York, was estimated at $100 million.[5]

Athens is located in northern Bradford County at 41°57′50″N 76°31′21″W / 41.96389°N 76.52250°W / 41.96389; -76.52250 (41.963809, -76.522608).[7] It lies on land between the Susquehanna River to the east and the Chemung River to the west, extending southward to their confluence at Tioga Point. The borough of Sayre borders Athens to the north, and Athens Township borders the remainder of the borough, to the east, west, and south.

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Enroll in the Right Electrical Technical School near Athens PA

Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure 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 trade as a professional electrician in Athens PA.