Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Northumberland PA 17857

How to Become an Electrician in Northumberland Pennsylvania

Northumberland PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Northumberland PA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For example, many students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Northumberland PA

Northumberland PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Northumberland PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Northumberland PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Northumberland PA can carry out a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually 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 differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Northumberland PA

attending electrician school online in Northumberland PA An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a means 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 balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Northumberland PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Northumberland PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Northumberland PA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Northumberland PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may 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 list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Northumberland PA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Northumberland PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently 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 Northumberland PA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Northumberland home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Northumberland PA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Northumberland PA?

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

Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Northumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 94,528.[1] Its county seat is Sunbury.[2] The county was formed in 1772 from parts of Lancaster, Berks, Bedford, Cumberland, and Northampton Counties and named for the county of Northumberland in northern England. Northumberland County is a fifth class county according to the Pennsylvania's County Code.[3]

Among its famous residents, Joseph Priestley, the Enlightenment chemist and theologian, left England in 1796 due to religious persecution and settled on the Susquehanna River. His former house (originally purchased by chemists from Pennsylvania State University after a colloquium that founded the American Chemical Society[4]) is a historical museum.[5]

Before European settlement the area was inhabited by the Akhrakouaeronon or Atrakouaehronon, a subtribe of the Susquehannock. By 1813 the area once comprising the sprawling county of Northumberland had been divided over time and allotted to other counties such that lands once occupied by Old Northumberland at its greatest extent are now found in Centre, Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Union, Clearfield, Clinton, Montour, Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Tioga, Potter, McKean, Warren, Venango, Snyder, and Schuylkill Counties.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Vocational School near Northumberland PA

Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to 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 offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Northumberland PA.