Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Swarthmore PA 19081

How to Become an Electrician in Swarthmore Pennsylvania

Swarthmore PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Swarthmore PA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Swarthmore PA

Swarthmore PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Swarthmore PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma 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 students who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Swarthmore PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Swarthmore PA can perform a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Swarthmore PA

attending electrician school online in Swarthmore PA A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though 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 some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Swarthmore PA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Swarthmore 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. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Swarthmore PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Swarthmore PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Swarthmore PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Swarthmore PA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Swarthmore PA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Swarthmore residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Swarthmore PA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Swarthmore PA?

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

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore (/ˈswɔːrθmɔːr/, locally [swɑθ-]) is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Swarthmore was originally named "Westdale" in honor of noted painter Benjamin West, who was one of the early residents of the town. The name was changed to "Swarthmore" after the establishment of Swarthmore College. The borough population was 6,194 as of the 2010 census.[4]

The borough was originally part of Springfield Township, and grew up around Swarthmore College, which was founded in 1864. The advent of passenger rail service from Philadelphia in the 1880s greatly enhanced the desirability of the borough as a commuter suburb, and the borough was incorporated in 1893.

Swarthmore is located in east-central Delaware County at 39°54′6″N 75°20′49″W / 39.90167°N 75.34694°W / 39.90167; -75.34694 (39.901788, -75.347083).[6] It is bordered to the north, east, and southwest by Springfield Township, to the southeast by Ridley Township, and to the west by Nether Providence Township. Crum Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the Delaware River, forms the western boundary of the borough.

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Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Swarthmore PA

Choosing the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Swarthmore PA.