Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Ridley Park PA 19078

How to Become an Electrician in Ridley Park Pennsylvania

Ridley Park 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 Ridley Park PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, some students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Ridley Park PA

Ridley Park PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Ridley Park PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Ridley Park PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Ridley Park PA can perform a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Ridley Park PA

attending electrician school online in Ridley Park PA An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Ridley Park PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Ridley Park PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided 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 Ridley Park PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Ridley Park PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Ridley Park PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many 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 inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Ridley Park PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Ridley Park PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Ridley Park home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased 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 difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Ridley Park PA, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Ridley Park PA?

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

Ridley Park, Pennsylvania

Ridley Park is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,002 at the 2010 census. Ridley Park is the home of The Boeing Company's CH-47 Chinook helicopter division.[4]

The Lenape inhabited the Delaware River region several centuries before the arrival of European explorers and traders. The Okehocking Tribe of the Lenni Lenape Nation established small permanent villages along the river and its main tributaries. Land adjacent to Stoney Creek in Ridley Township has been identified as a Native American town site. Historians also believe that additional villages may have existed at other locations along Stoney Creek and Crum Creek in Ridley Park.[5] Native Americans significantly influenced the built environment through their network of paths laid out for travel and communication purposes. Their footpaths through the densely forested countryside grew into the first roads of the area. Chester Pike is believed to have developed from a footpath created by the Lenni Lenape as their main thoroughfare in the area.[6]

The borough is named after a place in Cheshire, England. John Morton, signer of the American Declaration of Independence, was born and raised in a log cabin adjacent to East Ridley Avenue. He later replaced the cabin with a brick house and began farming 133 acres (0.54 km2) in the Ridley Park area.[7] Chester Pike, originally a footpath, was realigned and widened by William Penn. Known then as the “Queens Highway,” it was one of the region’s first roads stretching from Chester to Darby, and by 1715, it reached Philadelphia. General George Washington led his troops down this earthen road to Wilmington and eventually to Brandywine to confront the British in 1777.[8] In 1799, the “Queens Highway” was improved as a plank road, and tolls were levied. The population of the area continued to increase after the American Revolutionary War. Consequently, a private elementary subscription school was founded in 1800 on a site at Chester Pike and Myrtle Avenue. This was one of the first schools in Delaware County.[5]

The location could not be found.

Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Ridley Park PA

Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Ridley Park PA.