Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Hershey PA 17033

How to Become an Electrician in Hershey Pennsylvania

Hershey PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Hershey PA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many factors to examine. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Hershey PA

Hershey PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Hershey PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Hershey PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Hershey PA can carry out a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes three levels of competency:

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 trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Hershey PA

attending electrician school online in Hershey PA An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Hershey PA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Hershey PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Hershey PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important 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 assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Hershey PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 course. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may result in 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hershey PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Hershey PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Hershey PA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hershey residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Hershey PA, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Hershey PA?

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

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. Hershey's chocolates are made in Hershey, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey.

The community is located 14 miles (23 km) east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg−Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality, and all its municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The population was 14,257 at the 2010 census.[2]

Hershey is located in southeastern Dauphin County, in the center and eastern parts of Derry Township. It is bordered to the east by Palmdale (also in Derry Township) and by Campbelltown (in South Londonderry Township, Lebanon County). To the west is the borough of Hummelstown. Over half the population of Derry Township is within the Hershey CDP.

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Electrical Technical School near Hershey PA

Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Hershey PA.