Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Youngstown PA 15696

How to Become an Electrician in Youngstown Pennsylvania

Youngstown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Youngstown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Youngstown PA

Youngstown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Youngstown PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs offered.

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

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Youngstown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Youngstown PA can undertake a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Youngstown PA

attending electrician school online in Youngstown PA A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient 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 competitors. Commuting expenses from Youngstown PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Youngstown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Youngstown PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed 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 selection, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Youngstown PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Youngstown PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

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

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Youngstown PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Youngstown residence. Remember 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 get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Youngstown PA, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Youngstown PA?

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

Mahoning Valley

The Youngstown–Warren–Boardman metropolitan area, typically known as the Mahoning Valley or the Steel Valley, is a metropolitan area in Northeast Ohio in the United States, with the city of Youngstown, Ohio, at its center. According to the US Census Bureau, the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) includes Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Mercer county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 565,773.[citation needed]

This area also has a strong commuter interchange with Cleveland and Pittsburgh and their metropolitan areas. It is located at the geographic center of the Rust Belt of the United States which stretches from Minneapolis in the west to Johnstown and Altoona in the east.

Although steel has been produced in the Mahoning Valley since the mid-1800s, after the Civil War, the valley was primarily known for its iron production. Conversion to steel manufacturing began during the economic depression of the 1890s.[1] The Mahoning Valley is suitable for steel manufacture because of "its proximity to the Lake Erie ports that receive iron ore…the coal fields of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia; and to limestone deposits."[2] The "25-mile stretch of steel mills and related industries" along the Mahoning River is similar to the Ruhr Valley in Germany."[2] Historically, it was the largest steel producing region in the world (including all of Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania).[citation needed]

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Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Youngstown PA

Choosing the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Youngstown PA.