Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Philadelphia PA 19019

How to Become an Electrician in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Philadelphia PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Philadelphia PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to consider. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final 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 talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Philadelphia PA

Philadelphia PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Philadelphia PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Philadelphia PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Philadelphia PA can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specialties, including 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 agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Philadelphia PA

attending electrician school online in Philadelphia PA A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Philadelphia PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Philadelphia PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Philadelphia PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Philadelphia PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Philadelphia PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Philadelphia PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Philadelphia PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Philadelphia residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Philadelphia PA, check that the schools you are looking at provide 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 due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Philadelphia PA?

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

Philadelphia

Philadelphia (/ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/) is the largest city in the U.S. state and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous U.S. city, with a 2017 census-estimated population of 1,580,863.[6]Since 1854, the city has been coterminous with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the eighth-largest U.S. metropolitan statistical area, with over 6 million residents as of 2017[update].[4] Philadelphia is also the economic and cultural anchor of the greater Delaware Valley, located along the lower Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, within the Northeast megalopolis. The Delaware Valley's population of 7.2 million ranks it as the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States.[5]

William Penn, an English Quaker, founded the city in 1682 to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony.[8] Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 at the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Several other key events occurred in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War including the First Continental Congress, the preservation of the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Germantown, and the Siege of Fort Mifflin. Philadelphia was one of the nation's capitals during the revolution, and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington, D.C., was under construction. In the 19th century, Philadelphia became a major industrial center and a railroad hub. The city grew from an influx of European immigrants, most of whom came from Ireland, Italy and Germany—the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city as of 2015[update].[9] In the early 20th century, Philadelphia became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration after the Civil War,[10] as well as Puerto Ricans.[11] The city's population doubled from one million to two million people between 1890 and 1950.

The Philadelphia area's many universities and colleges make it a top study destination, as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub.[12][13] According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Philadelphia area had a gross domestic product of US$431 billion in 2016, the eighth-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.[14] Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to five Fortune 1000 companies. The Philadelphia skyline is expanding, with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016,[15] including several nationally prominent skyscrapers.[16] Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city.[17][18]Fairmount Park, when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States.[19] The city is known for its arts, culture, and colonial history which attracted 42 million domestic tourists in 2016 who spent US$6.8 billion, generating an estimated $11 billion in total economic impact in the city and surrounding four counties of Pennsylvania.[20] Philadelphia has also emerged as a biotechnology hub.[21]

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Vocational School near Philadelphia PA

Choosing the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Philadelphia PA.