Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Mertztown PA 19539

How to Become an Electrician in Mertztown Pennsylvania

Mertztown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Mertztown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover 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 training choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Mertztown PA

Mertztown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Mertztown PA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Mertztown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Mertztown PA can undertake a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Mertztown PA

attending electrician school online in Mertztown PA A possibility that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Mertztown PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Mertztown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Mertztown PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested 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 determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Mertztown PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course 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 complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also 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 mean 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Mertztown PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Mertztown PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Mertztown PA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Mertztown home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Mertztown PA, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out 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 Mertztown PA?

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

Mertztown, Pennsylvania

Mertztown is located in Berks County at latitude 40.506 and longitude -75.665 (Mertztown Panoramio Photos.) and its elevation is 466 feet. It appears on the Topton U.S. Geological Survey Map and is in the Eastern time zone (UTC-5).

The former Reading Railroad that runs through the center of Mertztown, is used by Norfolk Southern as the Reading Line, and it is a heavily used railroad branch. A branch of the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad used to go through the Farmington and Klines Corner section of Mertztown but the tracks were torn up years ago.

Mertztown was founded in 1823 by Robert Mertz. The population density is .01% Black, .01% Hispanic or other, and 99.8% white. Atlas Minerals, a big mineral company, is located in Mertztown, moved to the town in 1917, and has been there ever since. The town is down to one grocery store and two hardware stores.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Mertztown PA

Picking the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Mertztown PA.