How to Pick the Right Trade School near Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania

Choosing to begin a new occupation and enroll in a vocational school near Lehigh Valley PA are serious decisions that will greatly affect your future career. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach locating the ideal one? Not only do you have to ascertain that you will get the comprehensive training necessary to succeed in your new occupation, but also that the school is highly regarded and reputable. A number of prospective students make the mistake of enrolling in a trade school simply because the campus is closest to their home or where the work. Others might be attracted to the school that charges the most affordable tuition. Of course the cost and location of the programs are critical considerations when analyzing vocational school options, but they should not be the sole ones. Additional variables including reputation and accreditation of the schools are critical as well. So before you begin evaluating and comparing trade schools, you will need to know what questions to ask so you can get the information to make a final selection. We will cover several of those questions shortly in this post. But to start with, let’s talk about a few of the vocation options that are available including the accessibility of online programs.

Vocational School Program Options near Lehigh Valley PA

There are a number of trades to select from in vocational schools that offer fulfilling and high paying careers. Perhaps you have already selected one that you have long wished to pursue. For example, perhaps you have always taken pleasure in working on your car and have given thought to using that talent to earn a living as an auto mechanic. Or perhaps a member of the family has had a prosperous career in a particular vocation or trade and you would like to follow in his or her footsteps. Whatever your inspiration is for entering a trade, there is probably a program offered that will give you the training that you need. Below is just a small representation of the trade school programs that are available in the Lehigh Valley PA area.

• Auto Mechanic
• Heating And Air Conditioning (HVAC) Tech
• Plumber
• Electrical Technician
• Welder
• Truck Driving
• Aircraft Maintenance Tech
• Lab Technician
• Construction Manager

All programs will have varying costs and completion times based upon the vocation, type of credential and school. Many of the programs may be completed in a few weeks, while others will necessitate months or even 2 or more years of instruction. Each of these elements must be taken into account before choosing a vocation and school.

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Trade Schools Online

Trade Schools online have become more attractive with Lehigh Valley PA students and increasingly more accredited programs are becoming available. While learning online is a very convenient and accessible way to earn a degree or certificate, it may not be the best option for every vocation or trade. For instance, learning to drive a semi truck is not something that you can do online, nor is training how to weld. These are skills that have to be acquired through practical training and by doing it, not by studying or watching videos. But certain components of the training may be suitable for online classes, such as studying driving and safety guidelines for truck driving schools or learning about metallurgy or how to read blueprints for welder schools. Some programs will blend online instruction with on-campus lab work, for example for HVAC or plumbing schools. So it is crucial to ask before enrolling in an online program for any trade if there is an adequate amount of practical training allocated to the syllabus. One means to help establish est that a vocational school program is both suitable for online learning and provides comprehensive practical training is to verify that it’s accredited by a nationally acknowledged accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). For those trades that are suitable for online training, it can be a convenient way for those with time constraints to learn a new profession.

Things to Ask Vocational Schools

As soon as you have decided on the trade and type of certificate or degree that you desire to acquire, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous trade schools in the  Lehigh Valley PA area and across the USA to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial 2 aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accredited.  Numerous Lehigh Valley PA area technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the  training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing where applicable.

How Long in Business? One clue to help assess the quality of a vocational school near Lehigh Valley PA is how long it has been in business. A poorly rated or a fly by night school normally will not stay in business very long, so longevity is a big plus. However, even the best of schools had to begin from their opening day of training, so use it as one of multiple qualifications.

 Completion Rates.  Ask the trade schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs in the Lehigh Valley PA area.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Lehigh Valley PA area specialists in the field. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lehigh Valley PA contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training 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 see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is in Pennsylvania and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lehigh Valley PA, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

College Tech Schools Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania

Enrolling in the right trade school near Lehigh Valley PA is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the vocation of your choice. As we have discussed in this article, you need to pick a technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the professional community. Other features to search for are plenty of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options also. You initially came to this website because of your interest in College Tech Schools and wanting more information on the topic Tech Colleges Near Me. However, if you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed professional in your chosen trade.

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Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley (/ˈliːhaɪ/), known officially by the United States Census Bureau and the United States Office of Management and Budget[3] as the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area and referred to colloquially as The Valley,[4] is a metropolitan region officially consisting of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania and Warren county on the western edge of New Jersey, in the Eastern United States.[5] The Lehigh Valley's largest city, with a population of 120,443 residents, is Allentown.[6]

The Lehigh Valley is the third most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area in the state of Pennsylvania with a population of 821,173 residents as of the 2010 U.S. Census which increased to 841,913 residents in 2018 according to the latest U.S. Census Estimate.[2][7] The region is eclipsed in total population in Pennsylvania only by the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas.[2] It is the 64th most populated metropolitan area in the United States. Lehigh County, the Valley's largest county in terms of overall population, is among the fastest growing in the state and, as of 2010–2012, ranks in the 79th percentile for population growth nationally. The core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties along U.S. Route 22 and Interstate 78. The Lehigh Valley is proximate to two of the nation's largest cities: New York City, which is about 75 miles to its east, and Philadelphia, which is 50 miles to its southeast.

In March 2014, the Lehigh Valley was recognized by Site Selection Magazine as the second-best performing region of its size for economic development in the United States.[8] It was also ranked by Fortune in May 2015 as being among the top 10 best places in the U.S. to locate corporate finance and information technology operations for companies, such as call centers and IT support.[9] Allentown, the region's largest city, was cited as a "national success story" in April 2016 by the Urban Land Institute for its downtown redevelopment and transformation, one of only six communities nationwide to achieve this distinction.[10]

 

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