Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lewisberry PA 17339

How to Become an Electrician in Lewisberry Pennsylvania

Lewisberry PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lewisberry PA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Lewisberry PA

Lewisberry PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lewisberry PA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Lewisberry PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lewisberry PA can undertake a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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 important that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Lewisberry PA

attending electrician school online in Lewisberry PA A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Lewisberry PA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Lewisberry PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lewisberry PA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Lewisberry PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course 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 might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to use 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist Lewisberry PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Lewisberry PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lewisberry PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lewisberry home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lewisberry PA, verify that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lewisberry PA?

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

Lewisberry, Pennsylvania

The lands in and around the borough of Lewisberry were under control of the Susquehannock people until the first Quaker settlements in the 1730s. These settlements were among the first Quaker settlements in America west of the Susquehanna River. Among the group of original titleholders along the small creek that would become known as Bennett Run were Ellis Lewis, Joseph Bennett, John Rankin, John Heald, and John Hall. At this time, the area that would become York County was still almost entirely populated by the Susquehannock Indians. Yet there are few recorded conflicts between these early settlers and the native population. In this area that would later become majority Pennsylvania German, the first and second waves of settlers were almost entirely English speakers and included the Kirks, Rankins, Huttons, Garetsons, Nebingers, Eppleys, Starrs, Fosters, Clines, Stromingers, Moores, Frankelbergers, Suttons, Wickershams, Prowells, Millers, and Hammonds. While most were Quakers, a significant minority were Anglicans. The Quaker meeting house at the intersection of Old Quaker and Lewisberry roads (PA 382) is the original Quaker meeting house in the area.

The borough's founder, Eli Lewis, was born nearby in 1750, the son of one of the original settlers, Ellis Lewis. On the eve of the American Revolution, Eli opened a store on the site of the current borough. Lewis and members of other prominent families in the area served in the Pennsylvania militia, and Eli rose to the rank of major. Over the course of the war, the town became known for producing guns, and the Committee of Safety for York County contracted with area gunsmiths to supply the Continental Army; guns made in Lewisberry were in use by the US Army as late as the Siege of Veracruz during the Mexican–American War of 1846. Following the Revolutionary War, Lewis' fortune grew (and he eventually owned 850 acres in the area) and his store was the center of commerce in the Redland Valley. In 1798, Issac Kirk surveyed twelve acres of land and laid out lots for Lewis, who wanted a town to exist on the site. While all of the lots were not immediately sold, many were, and the town began a modest growth. Between 1790 and 1798, Major Lewis had lived in Harrisburg, where he took up printing and published the first Harrisburg newspaper, The Advertiser, which was then sold to John Wyeth, who renamed it The Oracle of Dauphin. While living in Harrisburg, Lewis also published the popular poem, "St. Clair's Defeat," which described the defeat of Arthur St. Clair by the tribes of the Western Confederacy during the Battle of the Wabash.

Lewisberry was not incorporated until 1832, fifty years later, and the first census figures of 1840 show a population of 220. In 1800, Henry Ensminger opened a large tannery just south of town that was later owned and operated by Samuel Grove. More significant for the town's growth was John Herman, who built a large flour mill on the west side of the borough. But the town's most successful operator was Andrew Cline, who ran a large and successful milling business during the second half of the 19th century. The mill and house are still standing just outside the borough beside Silver Lake, which was created to power the mill. One of Lewisberry's most important small industries during the 19th and early 20th centuries was the manufacture of block brimstone matches, and the families of Lyman Lewis, Herman Kirk, Moses Magrew, Rt. Starr, and Lyman Shettle became prosperous through this industry.

The location could not be found.

Find the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Lewisberry PA

Picking the best electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lewisberry PA.