Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Leetsdale PA 15056

How to Become an Electrician in Leetsdale Pennsylvania

Leetsdale PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Leetsdale PA. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many factors to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Leetsdale PA

Leetsdale PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Leetsdale PA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Leetsdale PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Leetsdale PA can carry out a vast array of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Leetsdale PA

attending electrician school online in Leetsdale PA An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving expenses from Leetsdale PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Leetsdale PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Leetsdale PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Leetsdale PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Leetsdale PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Leetsdale PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Leetsdale PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Leetsdale residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few 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 handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Leetsdale PA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Leetsdale PA?

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

Leetsdale, Pennsylvania

Leetsdale was incorporated on March 28, 1904. Leetsdale at one time had a formidable industrial manufacturing base, with a Bethlehem Steel mill that closed in the late 1970s. The site of the mill on the shore of the Ohio River is now the Leetsdale Industrial Park, or the Port of Leetsdale, and is home to facilities leased to a number of companies of varying sizes.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), of which 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 13.91%, is water.

Leetsdale is bordered by Ambridge in Beaver County to the north, Leet Township to the northeast, and Edgeworth to the southeast. The borough includes the former town of Shields. The Ohio River forms the southwest border of the borough; across the river is Crescent Township.

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Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Leetsdale PA

Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique 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 students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Leetsdale PA.