Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Northampton PA 18067

How to Become an Electrician in Northampton Pennsylvania

Northampton PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Northampton PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Northampton PA

Northampton PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Northampton PA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete 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 readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Northampton PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Northampton PA can undertake a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Northampton PA

attending electrician school online in Northampton PA An option that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Northampton PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Northampton PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Northampton PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Northampton PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Northampton PA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Northampton PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Northampton PA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Northampton residence. 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 desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

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 in the evening or on weekends near Northampton PA, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask 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 Northampton PA?

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

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Northampton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 297,735.[1] Its county seat is Easton.[2] The county was formed in 1752 from parts of Bucks County. Its namesake was Northamptonshire and the county seat of Easton is named for the country house Easton Neston.

Northampton County is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. Its northern edge borders The Poconos, and its eastern section borders the Delaware River, which divides Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The county is industrially-oriented, producing anthracite coal, cement, and other industrial products. Bethlehem Steel, once one of the world's largest manufacturers of steel, was located there prior to its closing in 2003.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Northampton PA

Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Northampton PA.