Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Flourtown PA 19031

How to Become an Electrician in Flourtown Pennsylvania

Flourtown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Flourtown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade 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 educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Flourtown PA

Flourtown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Flourtown PA. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Flourtown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Flourtown PA can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Flourtown PA

attending electrician school online in Flourtown PA An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving expenses from Flourtown PA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Flourtown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Flourtown PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about 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 chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Flourtown PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly 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 will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Flourtown PA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Flourtown PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Flourtown PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Flourtown home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors 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 programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Flourtown PA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Flourtown PA?

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

Flourtown, Pennsylvania

Flourtown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a ZIP code of 19031. Flourtown is adjacent to the neighborhoods of Erdenheim, Oreland, Whitemarsh, and Chestnut Hill. The population of Flourtown was 4,538 at the 2010 census.

As of the 2010 census, the CDP was 89.3% White, 5.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.4% were Some Other Race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 1.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[4]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 4,669 people, 1,746 households, and 1,292 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,305.0 people per square mile (1,278.5/km2). There were 1,772 housing units at an average density of 1,254.3/sq mi (485.2/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.72% White, 3.30% African American, 1.84% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population. 24.2% were of Irish, 14.2% Italian, 12.7% German and 11.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Flourtown PA

Choosing the best electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Flourtown PA.