Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lehigh Valley PA 18001

How to Become an Electrician in Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania

Lehigh Valley PA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lehigh Valley PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, 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 additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Lehigh Valley PA

Lehigh Valley PA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are multiple options to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Lehigh Valley PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good 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 provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Lehigh Valley PA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Lehigh Valley PA can perform a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Lehigh Valley PA

attending electrician school online in Lehigh Valley PAAn alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Lehigh Valley PA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Lehigh Valley PA electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lehigh Valley PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician vocational programs have earned 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, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Lehigh Valley PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lehigh Valley PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Lehigh Valley PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lehigh Valley PA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lehigh Valley residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors 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 programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lehigh Valley PA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lehigh Valley PA?

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

Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley (/ˈliːhaɪ/), known officially by the United States Census Bureau and the United States Office of Management and Budget[3] as the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area and referred to colloquially as The Valley,[4] is a metropolitan region officially consisting of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania and Warren county on the western edge of New Jersey, in the Eastern United States.[5] The Lehigh Valley's largest city, with a population of 120,443, is Allentown.[6]

The Lehigh Valley is the third most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area in the state of Pennsylvania with a population of 821,173 residents as of the 2010 U.S. Census.[2] The region is eclipsed in total population in Pennsylvania only by the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.[2] It is the 64th most populated metropolitan area in the United States. Lehigh County, the Valley's largest county in terms of overall population, is among the fastest growing in the state and, as of 2010–2012, ranks in the 79th percentile for population growth nationally.[7] The core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties along U.S. Route 22 and Interstate 78. The Lehigh Valley is proximate to two of the nation's largest cities: New York City, which is about 75 miles to its east, and Philadelphia, which is 50 miles to its southeast.

In March 2014, the Lehigh Valley was recognized by Site Selection Magazine as the second-best performing region of its size for economic development in the United States.[8] It was also ranked by Fortune in May 2015 as being among the top 10 best places in the U.S. to locate corporate finance and information technology operations for companies, such as call centers and IT support.[9] Allentown, the region's largest city, was cited as a "national success story" in April 2016 by the Urban Land Institute for its downtown redevelopment and transformation, one of only six communities nationwide to achieve this distinction.[10]

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Select the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Lehigh Valley PA

Selecting the best electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lehigh Valley PA.

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