Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Fishertown PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Numerous electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Fishertown PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>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 complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct 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 will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Fishertown PA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Fishertown PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Fishertown PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Fishertown home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Fishertown PA, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Fishertown PA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Fishertown PA area.<\/p>\n
Chestnut Ridge School District<\/h3>
The Chestnut Ridge School District covers the Boroughs of New Paris, Pleasantville, St. Clairsville and Schellsburg and East St. Clair Township, Juniata Township, King Township, Lincoln Township, Napier Township, Pavia Township and West St. Clair Township in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses approximately 225 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 10,727. By 2010, the district's population declined to 10,677 people.[7] The educational attainment levels for the Chestnut Ridge School District population (25 years old and over) were 89.1% high school graduates and 10.5% college graduates.[8] The district is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania.\n<\/p>
According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 44.7% of the Chestnut Ridge School District\u2019s pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level[9] as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.[10] In 2009, the district residents\u2019 per capita income was $15,142, while the median family income was $36,724.[11] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501[12] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.[13] In Bedford County, the median household income was $43,290.[14] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.[15] In 2014, the median household income in the USA was $53,700.[16]<\/p>
According to district officials, in school year 2009\u201310 the Chestnut Ridge School District provided basic educational services to\n1,592 pupils through the employment of 129 teachers, 86 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 10 administrators. Chestnut Ridge School District received more than $12 million in state funding in school year 2009-10. In school year 2005\u201306, Chestnut Ridge School District enrollment was 1,779 pupils. Chestnut Ridge School District employed: 122 teachers, 78 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 10 administrators. Chestnut Ridge School District received more than $10 million in state funding in school year 2005\u201306.[17]<\/p><\/div>\n