Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lansdale PA 19446

How to Become an Electrician in Lansdale Pennsylvania

Lansdale PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lansdale PA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified several 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 sole things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address 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 available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Lansdale PA

Lansdale PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lansdale PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Lansdale PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lansdale PA can undertake a wide range of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Lansdale PA

attending electrician school online in Lansdale PA An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Lansdale PA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Lansdale PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lansdale PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Lansdale PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also suggest 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 directory of alumni, which can result in 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lansdale PA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Lansdale PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lansdale PA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lansdale home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Lansdale PA, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lansdale PA?

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

Lansdale, Pennsylvania

Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and manufacturers of cigars, stoves, shirts, rope, iron drain pipe, and glue.[citation needed] In 1900, 2,754 people lived here; in 1910, 3,551; and in 1940, 9,316 people were inhabitants of Lansdale. The population was 16,269 at the time of the 2010 census.

The earliest known settlers in Lansdale were members of the Jenkins family. At the peak of its growth, the Jenkins homestead occupied approximately 120 acres of land. The construction of the North Pennsylvania Railroad during the 1850s contributed to rapid growth and expansion in Lansdale. Employment opportunities generated by the railroad brought settlers, housing, and local businesses to the area. By 1872, Lansdale Borough was officially incorporated and named after Phillip Lansdale Fox, chief surveyor of the North Penn Railroad. By the naming conventions of the time, it should have been called Jenkintown, since the land immediately surrounding the train station was owned by the Jenkins family, but there was already a town by that name along the rail line.[3]

Lansdale is home to a Kugel ball, which is a dark grey granite sphere supported by a very thin film of water pumped from beneath its base.[5] The Kugel Ball is located in Railroad Plaza, adjacent to the SEPTA Lansdale/Doylestown Line train station in downtown Lansdale. The plaza consists of a bricked patio with benches centered on the Kugel Ball and closes at 11:00 pm. An annual 5k race is held in June, accordingly named the Kugel Ball race, which starts and ends at the actual Kugel Ball in Railroad Plaza.

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Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Lansdale PA

Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lansdale PA.