Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Dauphin PA 17018

How to Become an Electrician in Dauphin Pennsylvania

Dauphin PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Dauphin PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to examine. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Dauphin PA

Dauphin PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Dauphin PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, 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 more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Dauphin PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Dauphin PA can carry out a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies 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 pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Dauphin PA

attending electrician school online in Dauphin PA An alternative that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving expenses from Dauphin PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Dauphin PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Dauphin PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade 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, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Dauphin PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Dauphin PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Dauphin PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build 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 up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Dauphin PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Dauphin home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Dauphin PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Dauphin PA?

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

Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Dauphin County /ˈdɔːfɪn/ is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 268,100.[2] The county seat and the largest city is Harrisburg,[3]Pennsylvania's state capital and tenth largest city. The county was created ("erected") on March 4, 1785, from part of Lancaster County and was named after Louis-Joseph, Dauphin of France,[4] the first son of Louis XVI.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 558 square miles (1,450 km2), of which 525 square miles (1,360 km2) is land and 33 square miles (85 km2) (5.9%) is water.[5] The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River. It has a humid continental climate (Dfa except for some Dfb in highlands) and the hardiness zone ranges from 6a to 7a. The area code is 717 with an overlay of 223.

As of the 2010 census, the county was 72.7% White, 18.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.1% were two or more races. 7.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry [1].

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Find the Ideal Electrical Technical School near Dauphin PA

Picking the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Dauphin PA.