Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Coatesville PA 19320

How to Become an Electrician in Coatesville Pennsylvania

Coatesville PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Coatesville PA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Coatesville PA

Coatesville PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Coatesville PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Coatesville PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Coatesville PA can perform a vast array of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 levels of competency:

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 important that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Coatesville PA

attending electrician school online in Coatesville PA A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Coatesville PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Coatesville PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Coatesville PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to 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 need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Coatesville PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Coatesville PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Coatesville PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Coatesville PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Coatesville home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Coatesville PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Coatesville PA?

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

Coatesville, Pennsylvania

Coatesville is a city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,100 at the 2010 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia. It developed along Lancaster Turnpike, beginning in the late 18th century. It spans U.S. Route 30, the "Main Line" highway that runs west of Philadelphia.

Coatesville developed in the early 20th century with the growth of the Lukens Steel Company and other industry. Its population declined after industrial restructuring, which reduced these jobs. Lukens was bought by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1997. In 2002, Bethlehem was bought by the then Ohio-based International Steel Group (ISG). Later, Mittal Steel bought ISG and merged with Arcelor Steel to form the ArcelorMittal company.

Varying cultures of Native Americans lived in this area. The first known settlement in the area which would be known as Coatesville was a historic Lenape village built along the West Branch of the Brandywine River. This settlement was a post for fur trading with the earliest American settlers. The Brandywine River has featured prominently in the history of Coatesville.

The location could not be found.

Find the Right Electrician Tech School near Coatesville PA

Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Coatesville PA.