Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Parker PA 16049

How to Become an Electrician in Parker Pennsylvania

Parker PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Parker PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Parker PA

Parker PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Parker PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Parker PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Parker PA can carry out a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic 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 Parker PA

attending electrician school online in Parker PA An option that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Parker PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Parker PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Parker PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Parker PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Parker PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Parker PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Parker PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Parker home. Remember 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 desirable that you receive as much one-on-one 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 experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Parker PA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out 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 Parker PA?

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

Parker, Pennsylvania

Parker is a city located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the extreme northwestern portion of the county. The population was 840 at the 2010 census. The city was named for Judge John Parker, a lead surveyor of Lawrenceburg and founder/owner of Parker's Landing, the two villages combined to create Parker.

Parker is sometimes referred to as the "Smallest City in the USA." Parker was incorporated as a city on March 1, 1873, by special state legislation in the midst of the northwestern Pennsylvania oil boom. The new municipality was called "Parker" and made up the earlier villages of Parker's Landing (on the Allegheny River) and Lawrenceburg (on the bluff above the river). Residents assumed that Parker would quickly become a major population center, and at the height of the oil boom, the population of Parker grew to over 20,000. The boom quickly went bust, however, and by the 1880s the "city" returned to its historic small village size -- a population of approximately 1,000.

Parker received national attention again in 2014 when a massive ice jam along the Allegheny River formed and started some minor flooding. The jam was so massive that it attracted tourists to the area, and a local bar even named a drink after the ice jam. The ice jam was severe enough that the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the area in case the ice started melting.[3][4]

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Choose the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Parker PA

Picking the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Parker PA.