Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Gwynedd Valley PA 19437

How to Become an Electrician in Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania

Gwynedd Valley PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Gwynedd Valley PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors 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 qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician trade 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 training options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Gwynedd Valley PA

Gwynedd Valley PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Gwynedd Valley PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster 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 offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Gwynedd Valley PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Gwynedd Valley PA can perform a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Gwynedd Valley PA

attending electrician school online in Gwynedd Valley PA An option that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Gwynedd Valley PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Gwynedd Valley PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Gwynedd Valley PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Gwynedd Valley PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Gwynedd Valley PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Gwynedd Valley 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 regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Gwynedd Valley PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Gwynedd Valley home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult 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 instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure 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 Gwynedd Valley PA, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Gwynedd Valley PA?

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

Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy University is a Catholic university in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania. It occupies a 25 miles (40 km) campus in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In addition to the Gwynedd Valley campus, Gwynedd Mercy also has locations in Philadelphia and Bensalem, Pennsylvania.[1]

Gwynedd Mercy University was founded in 1948, as Gwynedd-Mercy College, by the Sisters of Mercy as a junior college. In 1963 the college was rechartered as a baccalaureate institution. The school later renamed itself Gwynedd Mercy University.[2] GMercyU offers more than 40 undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing, education, business, and the arts & sciences.

Dating to the early 1900s the grounds were originally owned by Frances Bond, an investment banker, and were known as Willowbrook Farm. The farm hosted a large Gregorian mansion, formal gardens and outbuildings that were designed by renowned Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, the acclaimed architect of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.[3] The mansion which the Bonds lived in and is now over one-hundred years old, is still in use by the University today as Assumption Hall.

The location could not be found.

Find the Right Electrical Vocational School near Gwynedd Valley PA

Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform 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 credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend 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 right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Gwynedd Valley PA.