How to Become an Electrician in Irvine Pennsylvania
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Irvine PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing 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 becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Irvine PA
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Irvine PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Irvine PA can carry out a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Irvine PA
An alternative that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Irvine PA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Irvine PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Irvine PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Irvine PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Irvine PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art 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 with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Irvine PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Irvine 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 desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Irvine PA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Irvine PA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Irvine PA area.
Brokenstraw Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 38.8 square miles (100 km2), of which 38.6 square miles (100 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.41%) is water.
In 1797, 22-year-old Callender Irvine, the United States Army's Commissary General, and son of General William Irvine, settled in Brokenstraw Township. He "reported that there were more Indians in the area then than whites."
Callender built a "stately white mansion ... on the banks of the Allegheny in 1822," overlooking Crull's Island.[4] "Callender Irvine's brother, Dr. John W. Irvine shared in the management of the [general] store, along with Robinson R. Moore, until 1820, after which he practiced medicine in Brokenstraw."[5]
Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near Irvine PA
Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Irvine PA.
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