Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Strasburg PA 17579

How to Become an Electrician in Strasburg Pennsylvania

Strasburg PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Strasburg PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade 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 instructional options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Strasburg PA

Strasburg PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Strasburg PA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Strasburg PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Strasburg PA can carry out a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring 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 differs by state, but usually around four to five years of prior experience is called for in order to take 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 a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Strasburg PA

attending electrician school online in Strasburg PA A possibility that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance 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 rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Strasburg PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Strasburg PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Strasburg PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools 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 an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Strasburg PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the instructors 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 list 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 will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Strasburg PA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Strasburg PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Strasburg PA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Strasburg home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges 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 monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Strasburg PA, check 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. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Strasburg PA?

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

Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road.[4] The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler.[5] The town is often called "Train Town USA" because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The Old Conestoga Road was in use by 1714, and by 1750 a tavern and some log houses were built near the current site of Strasburg. Strasburg grew as the trade over the road with Philadelphia grew. By 1759, there were 32 taxable properties in the town, including about ten hotels. Many early settlers were Huguenots or Swiss or German Mennonites and several church congregations of various faiths formed during the 1760s. The first church was built in 1807 by Methodists.[6]

The Old Conestoga Road was the main path connecting Philadelphia to the west, but in 1792 the new Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike was built, bypassing Strasburg four miles to the north. However, in 1793 construction on the new Strasburg Road started, roughly following the old road, passing through West Chester on the way to Philadelphia. It attracted traffic because it was not a toll-road, unlike the Philadelphia Turnpike. This road later developed into PA 741.[4]

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Select the Right Electrical Vocational School near Strasburg PA

Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration 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 provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Strasburg PA.