Find Electrician Schools Near Me in New Castle PA 16101

How to Become an Electrician in New Castle Pennsylvania

New Castle PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near New Castle PA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For example, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near New Castle PA

New Castle PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near New Castle PA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

New Castle PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in New Castle 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 mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:

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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in New Castle PA

attending electrician school online in New Castle PA An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from New Castle PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

New Castle PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the New Castle PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the New Castle PA school 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 obtain a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist New Castle PA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

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

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local New Castle PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your New Castle home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near New Castle PA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near New Castle PA?

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

New Castle, Pennsylvania

New Castle is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border just 18 miles (29 km) east of Youngstown, Ohio. The population was 23,128 as of the 2010 census. It is the commercial center of a fertile agricultural region.[3]

New Castle is the principal city of the New Castle, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 91,108 in 2010. New Castle also anchors the northwestern part of the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-WV-OH Combined Statistical Area.

In 1798, John Carlysle Stewart, a civil engineer, traveled to western Pennsylvania to resurvey the "donation lands," which had been reserved for veterans of the Revolutionary War. He discovered that the original survey had neglected to stake out approximately 50 acres (20 ha) at the confluence of the Shenango River and the Neshannock Creek, at that time a part of Allegheny County. Claiming the land for himself, he laid out what was to become the town of New Castle. Stewart laid out the town of New Castle in April 1798. It comprised approximately that same 50 acres (20 ha), in what was then part of Allegheny County.[citation needed]

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Pick the Ideal Electrician Trade School near New Castle PA

Selecting the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in New Castle PA.