How to Become an Electrician in Mansfield Pennsylvania
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Mansfield PA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For instance, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Mansfield PA
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Mansfield PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Mansfield PA can undertake a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure 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 municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations 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 trade school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Mansfield PA
An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Mansfield PA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Mansfield PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Mansfield PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, 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 schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion 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 might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive 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 can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Mansfield PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Mansfield PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools 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, check with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Mansfield PA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Mansfield residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Mansfield PA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Mansfield PA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Mansfield PA area.
Mansfield, Pennsylvania
Mansfield is a borough located in east-central Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States, in the Tioga River valley. It is situated at the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Business Route 15, about 36 miles (58 km) southwest of Elmira, New York.
In 1800, an English settler from Rhode Island named Asa Mann cleared a large amount of forest, and in 1804 laid out the plan for a town on this estate—Mann's field. The borough was incorporated in 1857. In the same year, the Mansfield Classical Seminary was founded, which became a state normal school in 1862 and is today Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.
The number of people living here in 1900 amounted to 1,847, and in 1910, 1,654. The population was 3,411 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the borough had an estimated population of 3,463. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 3,625.
Select the Right Electrical Tech School near Mansfield PA
Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, 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 provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mansfield PA.
Other Cool Cities in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 1 Reviews 