Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lewisburg PA 17837

How to Become an Electrician in Lewisburg Pennsylvania

Lewisburg PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lewisburg PA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, some students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have identified some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Lewisburg PA

Lewisburg PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lewisburg PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

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

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Lewisburg PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lewisburg PA can perform a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Lewisburg PA

attending electrician school online in Lewisburg PA An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Lewisburg PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Lewisburg PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lewisburg PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school 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 an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical 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 relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Lewisburg PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can produce 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lewisburg PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Lewisburg PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lewisburg PA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lewisburg home. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lewisburg PA, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lewisburg PA?

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

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, 30 miles (48 km) south by southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles (97 km) north of Harrisburg. In the past, it was the commercial center for a fertile grain and general farming region. The population was 5,620 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County.[3] Located in central Pennsylvania, on the West Branch Susquehanna River, Lewisburg is northwest of Sunbury. It is home to Bucknell University and is near the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. Its 19th-century downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. Lewisburg is the principal city of the Lewisburg, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also part of the larger Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area.

Lewisburg was founded in 1785 by Ludwig Derr. A settler of the area (since as early as 1763–1769), Derr had purchased several tracts of land from the William Penn family and other neighboring land owners, the largest of which was known as "The Prescott". Having been on the land for such a long time, Derr had befriended the local Native Americans of the area. His relationship with these indigenous peoples was so well founded that, even as many of the other local settlers' homesteads were routinely sacked by Native Americans, Derr's lands remained free from attacks. Subsequently, in 1784, he worked with Samuel Weiser to lay out his combined land tracts, and create Derrstown. The name was later changed to Lewisburgh when Snyder County was created from Union County in 1855 (according to a local Keystone marker sign), but was known on original plans and deeds as Lewisburg before that time (also see note below).

Much has been considered[by whom?] regarding 'how' the name changed from Derrstown to Lewisburg. The most likely truth is that Derr's first name "Ludwig" translated into English as "Louis" but, being of German descent, it was spelled "Lewis". Later, after Derr's death, the traditional Germanic "burgh" was appended to his first name to create Lewisburgh.[citation needed]

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Lewisburg PA

Selecting the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lewisburg PA.