Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Hummelstown PA 17036

How to Become an Electrician in Hummelstown Pennsylvania

Hummelstown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hummelstown PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Hummelstown PA

Hummelstown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Hummelstown PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Hummelstown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Hummelstown PA can carry out a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Hummelstown PA

attending electrician school online in Hummelstown PA A possibility that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Hummelstown PA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Hummelstown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Hummelstown PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Hummelstown PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing 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 indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hummelstown PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Hummelstown PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Hummelstown PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hummelstown home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on 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 to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Hummelstown PA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Hummelstown PA?

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

Hummelstown, Pennsylvania

Originally named "Fredrickstown", the village was established in 1762.[6] The borough's mayor is Bradley Koulfman . Hummelstown is a Tree City and is located in District 15 of the Pennsylvania State Senate, centrally located between Harrisburg and Hershey, making it a common tourist drive-through. It has several businesses and shops designed to capitalize on the amount of tourist travel through the small town.[7]

Hummelstown was founded as "Fredrickstown" in 1762 by two Germans, Frederick and Rosina Hummel.[6] They purchased the land for 200 pounds sterling, then divided the area into building lots, which were sold to German settlers. During the mid 19th century, the Union Canal along Swatara Creek was an important factor in the development of the local economy, promoting trade and transportation.

The town was located on the Berks-Dauphin Turnpike, and later it was served by the Union Canal[8] which paralleled Swatara Creek bordering the north and the west sides of the town, and was opened in 1827. The Lebanon Valley Railroad arrived in 1858. This brought about many jobs of stone cutting and shipyard work and helped facilitate the Hummelstown Brownstone Company which became the leading employer of Hummelstown residents.[8] The company mined Hummelstown brownstone at its quarries from 1867 until 1929. The company was the largest producer of brownstone on the East Coast.

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Select the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Hummelstown PA

Selecting the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Hummelstown PA.