Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Cheswick PA 15024

How to Become an Electrician in Cheswick Pennsylvania

Cheswick PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Cheswick PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will address 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 offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Cheswick PA

Cheswick PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Cheswick PA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Cheswick PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Cheswick PA can perform a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Cheswick PA

attending electrician school online in Cheswick PA An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Cheswick PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Cheswick PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Cheswick PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Cheswick PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also mean 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 broader list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Cheswick PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Cheswick PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Cheswick PA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Cheswick residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Cheswick PA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Cheswick PA?

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

Cheswick, Pennsylvania

Cheswick, named for a town in England, is a small town of about 350 acres (1,400,000 m2). The history of the lands of Cheswick seems to have belonged to the Keen family at least in part, for Archie Pillow, or Pillar, as spelled in old records, inherited land from the Keen family. That land, in part, is where Cheswick is today. Archie's brother, George, once owned the second oldest house in the community. Thomas Pillow owned the land from Highland Avenue to the Harmar Township line.

The level land near the Allegheny River was used as farmland (Borland farm). Borland & Truck farms sold vegetables to Pittsburgh in the days of the canal. Barges and rafts of lumber were floated down the river to the steel mills. The men were fed by women who took baked goods out to the slow-moving barges in boats. In the days of the canal, wealthy families built great Victorian houses along the canal. Later, when the railroad bought out the right of way, the noise and dust became disturbing and many houses became run down and neglected.

Among the early names are Borland, Pillows, Macleans, Wilsons, Stewarts, Lemons, Albertsons, Buntings, Cummings, Shoops and Armstrongs. The Armstrong family lived in Acmetonia until after the Civil War. One built the fine stone house next to the Cheswick Theater (which has since been demolished), and he served as postmaster in the borough.

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Cheswick PA

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Cheswick PA.