How to Become an Electrician in Brockway Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Brockway PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Brockway PA
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Brockway PA. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, 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 Guidelines
Electricians in Brockway PA can undertake a multitude of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of proficiency:
- 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 select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Brockway PA
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Brockway PA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Brockway PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Brockway PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at 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 could suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Brockway PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical 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 partnerships with Brockway PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Brockway PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Brockway home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Brockway PA, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Brockway PA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Brockway PA area.
Brockway, Pennsylvania
Brockway is a borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,182 at the 2000 census. It was originally named Brockwayville, for the pioneer Brockway family. It was later shortened to Brockway.
Brockway was originally called Brockwayville, and under the latter name was founded in laid out in 1836.[3] The borough was named for Alonzo and James S. Brockway, who came to the site in 1822.[3] A post office called Brockwayville was established in 1829, and the name of the post office was changed to Brockway in 1925.[4]
Brockway Glass Company Inc. was founded in 1907 in Brockway, Pennsylvania by the Brockway Machine Bottle Company (which later became Brockway Glass). Brockway manufactured and sold glass containers and tubing, along with plastic products manufactured through wholly owned subsidiaries. In 1964 Brockway bought several Hazel-Atlas Glass Company factories from the Continental Can Company as part of a lawsuit settlement. In 1987 Owens-Illinois made a bid of $60 per share (worth $750million) to acquire Brockway, which was met with resistance by the FTC. After a Federal District Judge denied the FTC's request for an injunction, Owens-Illinois acquired Brockway's shares.
Find the Right Electrical Vocational School near Brockway PA
Picking the best electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Brockway PA.
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