Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Quakertown PA 18951

How to Become an Electrician in Quakertown Pennsylvania

Quakertown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Quakertown PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located some that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Quakertown PA

Quakertown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Quakertown PA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored 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. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements

Quakertown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Quakertown PA can carry out a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Quakertown PA

attending electrician school online in Quakertown PA A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Quakertown PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Quakertown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Quakertown PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Quakertown PA program is 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 acquire an excellent education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Quakertown PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Quakertown PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Quakertown PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Quakertown residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Quakertown PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Quakertown PA?

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

Quakertown, Pennsylvania

Quakertown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the USA. As of 2016, it had a population of 8,798.[3] The borough is 16 miles (26 km) south of Allentown and Bethlehem and 29 miles (47 km) north of Philadelphia, making Quakertown a border town of both the Delaware Valley and Lehigh Valley metropolitan areas. It is considered part of the United States Census Bureau's Philadelphia−Camden−Wilmington (PA−NJ−DE-MD) MSA and the Delaware Valley. Quakertown is surrounded by Richland Township.

On September 18, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, a convoy of wagons carrying the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, under the command of Col. Thomas Polk of Charlotte, North Carolina, stopped in Quakertown. The Liberty Bell was stored overnight behind the home of Evan Foulke (1237 West Broad Street), and the entourage stayed at the Red Lion Inn. The John Fries' Rebellion was also started in the Red Lion Inn in 1799.

The American Civil War along with national economic expansion changed Quakertown from a tiny village to a commercial manufacturing center. In the nineteenth century, local industrial establishments included cigar and cigar box factories, silk mills, harness factories, and stove foundries. Until 1969, Quakertown generated its own electrical power. The population of Quakertown in 1900 was 3,014; it rose to 3,801 in 1910. By 1940, the population had reached 5,150 people. At the 2010 census, the borough's population was 8,979.

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Select the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Quakertown PA

Choosing the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Quakertown PA.