What to Ask Electrician Training Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the New Bethlehem PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two 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 final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the New Bethlehem PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist New Bethlehem PA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician training 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 contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with New Bethlehem PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local New Bethlehem PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your New Bethlehem residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased 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 challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near New Bethlehem PA, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near New Bethlehem PA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the New Bethlehem PA area.<\/p>\n
New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania<\/h3>
New Bethlehem is located along the southern border of Clarion County at 41\u00b00\u203212\u2033N 79\u00b019\u203251\u2033W\ufeff \/ \ufeff41.00333\u00b0N 79.33083\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 41.00333; -79.33083 (41.003302, -79.330935).[6] It is in the valley of Redbank Creek, which separates the borough from South Bethlehem, Armstrong County to the south.\n<\/p>
Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through the borough, crossing Redbank Creek into South Bethlehem, then leading southwest 20 miles (32\u00a0km) to Kittanning on the Allegheny River. To the northeast, PA 28 leads 20 miles (32\u00a0km) to Brookville and Interstate 80. Pennsylvania Route 66 intersects PA 28 in the center of New Bethlehem and leads north 13 miles (21\u00a0km) to I-80 and 16 miles (26\u00a0km) to Clarion, the county seat. PA 66 travels with PA 28 southwest to Kittanning. Pennsylvania Route 861 leads west from New Bethlehem 12 miles (19\u00a0km) to Rimersburg.\n<\/p>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough of New Bethlehem has a total area of 0.50 square miles (1.3\u00a0km2), of which 0.46 square miles (1.2\u00a0km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1\u00a0km2), or 9.92%, is water.[5]<\/p><\/div>\n