Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Kennett Square PA 19348

How to Become an Electrician in Kennett Square Pennsylvania

Kennett Square PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Kennett Square PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Kennett Square PA

Kennett Square PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Kennett Square PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Kennett Square PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Kennett Square PA can undertake a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually 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) 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 provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Kennett Square PA

attending electrician school online in Kennett Square PA An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient 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 on campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Kennett Square PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Kennett Square PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Kennett Square PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained 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 pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Kennett Square PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 finish the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 Kennett Square PA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Kennett Square PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment 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, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Kennett Square PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Kennett Square home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and learn 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 evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Kennett Square PA, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Kennett Square PA?

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

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Kennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World[4] because mushroom farming in the region produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a day. To celebrate this heritage, Kennett Square has an annual Mushroom Festival, where the town shuts down to have a parade, tour mushroom farms, and buy and sell food and other goods. It is also home to the corporate headquarters of Genesis HealthCare which administers elderly care facilities. The local high school is Kennett High School. Its population was 6,072 at the 2010 census.[5]

The area to become known as Kennett Square was originally inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. The town was originally called Kennet Square, with the name "Kennet", England, and "Square" coming from the original land grant from William Penn of one square mile. General Sir William Howe marched through Kennett to the Battle of Brandywine during the American Revolution. It was also known as an important part of the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves escaping to the North for freedom. Many of its prominent citizens helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad. In 1853, a group asked for Kennett Square to be incorporated, and by 1855 it held elections.

Kennett Square's founder is credited with introducing mushroom growing to the area. He grew carnations, a popular local commodity around 1885, and wanted to make use of the wasted space under the elevated beds. He imported spawn from Europe and started experimenting with mushroom cultivation.

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Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Kennett Square PA

Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Kennett Square PA.