Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Hellertown PA 18055

How to Become an Electrician in Hellertown Pennsylvania

Hellertown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hellertown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Hellertown PA

Hellertown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Hellertown PA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Hellertown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Hellertown PA can undertake a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes 3 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Hellertown PA

attending electrician school online in Hellertown PA A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Hellertown PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Hellertown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Hellertown PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed 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 even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Hellertown PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Hellertown PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Hellertown PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with 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 looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hellertown PA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hellertown residence. Remember 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 desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with 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 experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Hellertown PA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Hellertown PA?

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

Hellertown, Pennsylvania

Hellertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Hellertown is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Lehigh Valley's Saucon Valley. The population of Hellertown was 5,898 at the 2010 census.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 5,606 people, 2,448 households, and 1,571 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,180.8 people per square mile (1,615.3/km2). There were 2,570 housing units at an average density of 1,916.6 per square mile (740.5/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.20% White, 0.30% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.68% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.48% of the population.

There were 2,448 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.85.

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Select the Right Electrical Vocational School near Hellertown PA

Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Hellertown PA.