Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Jenkintown PA 19046

How to Become an Electrician in Jenkintown Pennsylvania

Jenkintown PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Jenkintown PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Jenkintown PA

Jenkintown PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Jenkintown PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines

Jenkintown PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Jenkintown PA can perform a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Jenkintown PA

attending electrician school online in Jenkintown PA A possibility that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Jenkintown PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Jenkintown PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Jenkintown PA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned 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 although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Jenkintown PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools 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 lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in 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 a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Jenkintown PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade 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 electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Jenkintown PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Jenkintown PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Jenkintown home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger 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 instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some 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 assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Jenkintown PA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Jenkintown PA?

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

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

Jenkintown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Center City Philadelphia. "Jenkintown" is also used to describe a number of neighborhoods surrounding the borough, which also are known by names such as Meadowbrook, Rydal, Crosswicks, Fox Chase Manor, Jenkintown Manor, Noble, and Switchville. While the post office will deliver "Jenkintown"-addressed mail to these areas, they are not part of the political entity of Jenkintown; they are within Abington Township. Jenkintown is surrounded by Abington Township to the north, west, and east, and borders Cheltenham Township to the south.

The Borough of Jenkintown is located just outside Philadelphia along the Route 611 corridor between Abington and Cheltenham Townships. The Borough was settled in about 1697 and incorporated on December 8, 1874 when approximately 248 acres (1.00 km2) was taken from Abington Township. Today, the Borough is approximately 0.58 square miles and is home to 4,500 residents.

The Borough is a mostly residential community that is separated into East and West by the Business District that runs along and surrounds Old York Road (Route 611) corridor. On the east side of Old York Road, residential development is predominantly characterized by larger detached single-family homes on lots larger than the Borough average. On the southeast side of York Road, there is a small mixed concentration of row homes, duplexes, and single-family residences. The majority of the residential development, however, is located to the west of York Road. This area consists of a traditional small town mix of detached single-family homes, duplexes, and row homes. Located throughout this area are several multi-family apartment buildings that are residential rental properties. At the center of this residential area are the Jenkintown Elementary School and the Jenkintown High School.

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Choose the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Jenkintown PA

Picking the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Jenkintown PA.