Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Columbia PA 17512

How to Become an Electrician in Columbia Pennsylvania

Columbia PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Columbia PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Columbia PA

Columbia PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Columbia PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate 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 the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Columbia PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Columbia PA can undertake a multitude of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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 tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Columbia PA

attending electrician school online in Columbia PA An alternative that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Columbia PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Columbia PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Columbia PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Columbia PA program and school are 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 superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate 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 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 lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent 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 list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Columbia PA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Columbia PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job 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 trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Columbia PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Columbia residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Columbia PA, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Columbia PA?

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

Columbia, Pennsylvania

Columbia, formerly Wright's Ferry, is a borough (town) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles (45 km) southeast of Harrisburg on the east (left) bank of the Susquehanna River, across from Wrightsville and York County and just south of U.S. Route 30. The settlement was founded in 1726 by Colonial English Quakers from Chester County led by entrepreneur and evangelist John Wright. Establishment of the eponymous Wright's Ferry, the first commercial Susquehanna crossing in the region, inflamed territorial conflict with neighboring Maryland but brought growth and prosperity to the small town, which was just a few votes shy of becoming the new United States' capital. Though besieged for a short while by Civil War destruction, Columbia remained a lively center of transport and industry throughout the 19th century, once serving as a terminus of the Pennsylvania Canal. Later, however, the Great Depression and 20th-century changes in economy and technology sent the borough into decline. It is notable today as the site of one of the world's few museums devoted entirely to horology.

The area around present-day Columbia was originally populated by Native American tribes, most notably the Susquehannocks, who migrated to the area between 1575 and 1600[citation needed] after separating[citation needed] from the Iroquois Confederacy. They established villages just south of Columbia, in what is now Washington Boro[citation needed], as well as claiming at least hunting lands as far south as Maryland and Northern Virginia.[3]Captain John Smith reported on the Susquehannock in glowing superlatives when a traveling group visited Jamestown, Virginia;[3] he estimated their numbers to be about 2,000 in the early 1600s. The French ran across them in the area around Buffalo, apparently visiting the Wenro, and suggesting their numbers were far greater. The Province of Maryland fought a declared war for nearly a decade, signing a peace in 1632, against the Susquehannock Confederation who were allied to New Sweden and furnishing fire arms to the Susquehannocks in exchange for furs.[3] The American Heritage Book of Indians reports the tribe occupied the entire Susquehanna Drainage Basin[3] from the divide with the Mohawk River in lower New York State and part of the west side of the Chesapeake Bay in the Province of Virginia, while noting the confederation numbered between 10-20,000 in the mid-1660s when they came close to wiping out two Nations of the Iroquois.[3] An virulent epidemic struck the Susquehannock towns during 1668 or 1669 and is believed[3] to have lasted or recurred or morphed to plagues of other disease possibly killing up to 90% of the Amerindian nations people. By 1671-1672 they were beset on all sides[3]—with attacks from colonial settlers, raids from the weakened Iroquois and the long subjugated Lenape band occupying the Poconos and Lehigh Valley. In that decade, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York all claimed the Susquehannock lands of the Wyoming Valley, where the remnants of the nation were to recoil into a few scant under populated towns. In 1678, the Governor of New York would sign a treaty with the League of the Iroquois requiring them to take in the Susquehannocks. The Iroquoian cultures universally supporting adoption, absorbed the people. Small bands moved west across the Susquehanna to new villages such as Conestoga Town and some are believed to have trekked through the gaps of the Allegheny to the virtually empty lands beyond the Alleghenies, perhaps mingling there with other Iroquoian peoples such as the Seneca, Wenro and Erie peoples forming the new clans and towns as the (new) Mingo people whose small bands known to be present in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio in the early 1800s.[3]

In 1724, John Wright, an English Quaker, traveled to the Columbia area (then a part of Chester County) to explore the land and proselytize to a Native American tribe, the Shawnee, who had established a settlement along Shawnee Creek. Wright built a log cabin nearby on a tract of land first granted to George Beale by William Penn in 1699, and stayed for more than a year. The area was then known as Shawanatown.

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Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Columbia PA

Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Columbia PA.