How to Become an Electrician in Titusville Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Titusville PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address 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 training options that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Titusville PA
There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Titusville PA. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, 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 Criteria
Electricians in Titusville PA can perform a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Titusville PA
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving costs from Titusville PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Titusville PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Titusville PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Titusville PA grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Titusville PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Titusville PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Titusville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Titusville PA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure 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 Titusville PA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Titusville PA area.
Titusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,601 at the 2010 census,[3] and the city is part of the Meadville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area and Erie-Meadville, PA Combined Statistical Area. Titusville is where the modern oil industry began.[4]
The area was first settled in 1796 by Jonathan Titus. Within 14 years, others bought and improved the land lying near him, along the banks of the now-named Oil Creek. He named the village Edinburg(h), but as the village grew, the settlers began to call this little hamlet Titusville. The village was incorporated as a borough in 1849.
Oil was known to exist here, but there was no practical way to extract it. Its main use at that time had been as a medicine for both animals and humans.[6] In the late 1850s Seneca Oil Company (formerly the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company) sent Col. Edwin L. Drake, to start drilling on a piece of leased land just south of Titusville near what is now Oil Creek State Park.[4] Drake hired a salt well driller, William A. Smith, in the summer of 1859. They had many difficulties, but on August 27 at the site of an oil spring just south of Titusville, they finally drilled a well that could be commercially successful.
Enroll in the Right Electrical Tech School near Titusville PA
Picking the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Titusville PA.
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