How to Become an Electrician in Duncansville Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Duncansville PA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Duncansville PA
There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Duncansville PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often 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 intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Duncansville PA can perform a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Duncansville PA
A possibility that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving costs from Duncansville PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Duncansville PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 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 while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have received 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 pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Duncansville PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers 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 more extensive list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Duncansville PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction 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 Duncansville PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Duncansville PA electrical company 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 Duncansville home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Duncansville PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Duncansville PA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Duncansville PA area.
Duncansville, Pennsylvania
Duncansville is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Duncansville is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,238 people, 580 households, and 338 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,312.5 people per square mile (885.2/km²). There were 610 housing units at an average density of 1,139.4 per square mile (436.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.47% White, 0.48% African American, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 580 households, out of which 19.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84.
Choose the Right Electrical Vocational School near Duncansville PA
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Duncansville PA.
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