Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Cambridge Springs PA 16403

How to Become an Electrician in Cambridge Springs Pennsylvania

Cambridge Springs PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Cambridge Springs PA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward 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 review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Cambridge Springs PA

Cambridge Springs PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Cambridge Springs PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Cambridge Springs PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Cambridge Springs PA can perform a multitude of functions, such as 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 period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Cambridge Springs PA

attending electrician school online in Cambridge Springs PA An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Cambridge Springs PA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Cambridge Springs PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Cambridge Springs PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Cambridge Springs PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, 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 percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Cambridge Springs PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Cambridge Springs PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Cambridge Springs PA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Cambridge Springs residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging 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 feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Cambridge Springs PA, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Cambridge Springs PA?

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

Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania

In the late 19th century, Cambridgeboro was known for its mineral springs. The discovery of the springs eventually led to renaming the borough to Cambridge Springs on April 1, 1897.[6] It was a resort town featuring a variety of hotels including the Rider Hotel, which burned down in 1931. The last of these hotels, the Riverside Inn, burned down on May 2, 2017, and had been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Cambridge Springs Bridge and Amos Kelly House.[7]

In 1904, the Rider Hotel in Cambridge Springs was the site of a famous chess tournament won by Frank Marshall ahead of World Champion Emanuel Lasker and fourteen other players. A variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined opening played several times there is today known as the Cambridge Springs Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5 in algebraic notation).

From 1912 to 1987 it was home to Alliance College. In 1912 United States President William Howard Taft traveled to Cambridge Springs for the dedication. The site of the college is now occupied by State Correctional Institution – Cambridge Springs, a minimum-security prison.

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrical Vocational School near Cambridge Springs PA

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Cambridge Springs PA.