Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Folsom PA 19033

How to Become an Electrician in Folsom Pennsylvania

Folsom PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Folsom PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only things that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about 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 educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Folsom PA

Folsom PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Folsom PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Folsom PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Folsom PA can carry out a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Folsom PA

attending electrician school online in Folsom PA A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Folsom PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Folsom PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Folsom PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Folsom PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. 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 finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified 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 directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Folsom PA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Folsom PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Folsom PA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Folsom residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction 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 observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Folsom PA, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Folsom PA?

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

Folsom, Pennsylvania

Folsom is located in northern Ridley Township at 39°53′31″N 75°19′34″W / 39.89194°N 75.32611°W / 39.89194; -75.32611 (39.891978, -75.326231).[2] It is bordered to the northwest by the borough of Swarthmore, to the north by Springfield Township and the borough of Rutledge, to the east by Pennsylvania Route 420, to the southeast by the borough of Prospect Park, to the south by the borough of Ridley Park, and to the southwest by Woodlyn in Ridley Township. Folsom is 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Center City, Philadelphia.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 8,072 people, 3,162 households, and 2,203 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 6,455.1 people per square mile (2,493.3/km²). There were 3,235 housing units at an average density of 2,587.0/sq mi (999.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.51% White, 1.83% African American, 0.01% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.

There were 3,162 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.12.

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Select the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Folsom PA

Selecting the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each 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 speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Folsom PA.