How to Become an Electrician in West Grove Pennsylvania

The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near West Grove PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many variables to consider. For instance, some students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near West Grove PA

There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near West Grove PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
• Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Electricians in West Grove PA can undertake a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in West Grove PA

An option that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from West Grove PA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. 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 made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the West Grove PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician technical schools have acquired 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 a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the West Grove PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory 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 will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist West Grove PA students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with West Grove PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local West Grove PA electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your West Grove home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near West Grove PA, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, 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 West Grove PA?

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

Enroll in the Right Electrical Trade School near West Grove PA

Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in West Grove PA.

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