Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Huntingdon Valley PA 19006

How to Become an Electrician in Huntingdon Valley Pennsylvania

Huntingdon Valley PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Huntingdon Valley PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many factors to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Huntingdon Valley PA

Huntingdon Valley PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Huntingdon Valley PA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Huntingdon Valley PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Huntingdon Valley PA can perform a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly 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 identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Huntingdon Valley PA

attending electrician school online in Huntingdon Valley PA An alternative that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Huntingdon Valley PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Huntingdon Valley 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. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Huntingdon Valley PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Huntingdon Valley PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may produce 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 also that it has the network of contacts to help Huntingdon Valley PA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Huntingdon Valley PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Huntingdon Valley PA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Huntingdon Valley residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction 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 large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs 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 Huntingdon Valley PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Huntingdon Valley PA?

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

Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

Huntingdon Valley is a village, as well as a suburban mailing address located in Lower Moreland Township, Upper Moreland Township and Abington Township all in Montgomery County, and in small sections of Upper Southampton Township and Lower Southampton Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania bordering the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States.

The village of Huntingdon Valley is located along Huntingdon Pike (Pennsylvania Route 232). The Lady Washington Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1] The inn is believed to have held first lady, Martha Washington while George Washington was at Valley Forge. The region saw early settlements and mills along the Pennypack Creek. The Fetter's Mill Village Historic District is located in the valley through which the Pennypack Creek flows. The area surrounding the original village was very rural up until the latter half of the 20th Century.

Originally referred to as "Goosetown,"[2] Huntingdon Valley boasts some of the highest standards of living in the Greater Philadelphia area with 90% of the Township being single-dwelling homes and having one of the highest per capita incomes in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.[3] Huntingdon Valley (zip 19006), Pennsylvania,sales tax rate is 6.00%. Income tax is 4.07%. The income per capita is $45,125, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $94,961.

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Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Huntingdon Valley PA

Choosing the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Huntingdon Valley PA.