How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near Hazleton Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hazleton PA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Hazleton PA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Hazleton PA can undertake a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
An option that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Hazleton PA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Hazleton PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two 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 chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Hazleton PA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order 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 complete the course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hazleton PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Hazleton PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools 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 technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hazleton PA electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hazleton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments relating to 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 programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hazleton PA, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Colleges That Offer Electrician Programs Hazleton Pennsylvania
Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Colleges That Offer Electrician Programs and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Education Requirements. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Hazleton PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. Hazleton is the second largest city in Luzerne County and the seventeenth largest city in Pennsylvania.[3] It was incorporated as a borough on January 5, 1857, and as a city on December 4, 1891.
During the height of the American Revolution, in the summer of 1780, British sympathizers (known as Tories) began attacking the outposts of American revolutionaries located along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley. Because of reports of Tory activity in the region, Captain Daniel Klader and a platoon of 41 men from Northampton County were sent to investigate. They traveled north from the Lehigh Valley along a path known as "Warrior's Trail" (which is present-day Pennsylvania Route 93). This route connects the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe (formerly known as Mauch Chunk) to the Susquehanna River in Berwick.
Captain Klader's men made it as far north as present-day Conyngham, when they were ambushed by Tory militiamen and members of the Seneca tribe. In all, 15 men were killed on September 11, 1780, in what is now known as the Sugarloaf Massacre.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 28
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 