Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Malvern PA 19355

How to Become an Electrician in Malvern Pennsylvania

Malvern PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Malvern PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Malvern PA

Malvern PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Malvern PA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Malvern PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Malvern PA can perform a multitude of duties, 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 required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Malvern PA

attending electrician school online in Malvern PA An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Malvern PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Malvern PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Malvern PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed 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 while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Malvern PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce 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 also that it has the network of contacts to help Malvern PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Malvern PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional 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 working with 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 looking for. If not, ask a local Malvern PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Malvern home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction 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. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Malvern PA, verify that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Malvern PA?

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

Malvern, Pennsylvania

Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is twenty-five miles (40 km) west of Philadelphia. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census. The town is bordered by Paoli Pike on the south, Sugartown Road on the west, the Willistown Township on the east, and the East Whiteland Township on the north. It is south of US 30 and easily accessible to Route 202. The main road through the Borough is King Street, intersected by Warren Avenue. The Malvern ZIP code covers the Malvern Borough, and all or parts of East Whiteland, Charlestown, Willistown, East Goshen, East Pikeland, and Tredyffrin Townships. Malvern Borough is between Paoli on the east, and Immaculata University and Exton on the west. It is also a train stop on the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line.

The area was originally settled by Welsh immigrants in the 17th century who bought land from William Penn.[4] Malvern is the site of the Paoli Massacre, which occurred September 20, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War under the command of General Anthony Wayne of nearby Easttown. In 1835, the East Whiteland Baptist Church moved to what is now its church and cemetery property, bounded by Channing, South Warren, and East First Avenues, and Roberts Lane. Changing its name to the Willistown Baptist Church, this institution then became the First Baptist Church of Malvern in 1900.

The church, trains, and a few businesses were the nucleus of this village, which was known for a long period as West Chester Intersection due to its position at the junction of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and the West Chester Railroad.[5] In 1873, the town’s name was changed to Malvern when the Philadelphia and Columbia's successor, the Pennsylvania Railroad, straightened its tracks through the village. In 1879, the Malvern Friends Meeting was built at the northwest corner of Woodland Avenue and Roberts Lane, followed by the arrival of the Presbyterians and the Methodists prior to 1900.[6] The village's status as a railroad junction came to an end in March 1880 when the West Chester Railroad's northern terminal was moved west to Frazer, Pennsylvania.[7] Malvern Borough has a mix of residential styles and neighborhoods, retail and industrial businesses, dedicated open land, and numerous civic, cultural, and religious organizations.[6]

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Malvern PA

Choosing the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important 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 examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on 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 Malvern PA.