How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Training School near Tobyhanna Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Tobyhanna PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many points to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater 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 accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Tobyhanna PA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Tobyhanna PA can undertake a wide range of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly 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 identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
An alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Tobyhanna PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational 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
When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Tobyhanna PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. 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 crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Tobyhanna PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified 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 may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Tobyhanna PA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Tobyhanna PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Tobyhanna PA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Tobyhanna residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
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 go to classes at night or on weekends near Tobyhanna PA, verify that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Accredited Electrician Vocational Schools Tobyhanna Pennsylvania
Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Electrician Vocational Schools and wanting more information on the topic Residential Electrician Training. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Tobyhanna PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
In the late 1800s, the Tobyhanna and Lehigh Lumber Company operated a lumber mill, clothes pin factory and silk mill in what was then called the Village of Tobyhanna Mills. In September 1900, N S Brittain, a prominent resident of Coolbaugh Township and cashier of the East Stroudsburg Bank, purchased virtually the entire village, consisting of over 30 dwellings and 120 acres of the land but none of the former mill equipment. The lumber company sold the land, depleted of its lumber, for USD $10,000. The Monroe Water Supply Company had purchased most of the lumber company's property, over 32,000 acres, in March 1899. The site was transitioning from forest products to the harvesting of ice. [2]
From about 1900 to 1936, Tobyhanna lakes were the site of active ice industries. The ice was cut from the lakes during the winter and stored in large barn-like structures. During the rest of the year, the ice was added to railroad boxcars hauling fresh produce and meats destined for East Coast cities.
In 1912, Tobyhanna had a railway station, telegraph, and post office. The federal government acquired land within Tobyhanna that became the Tobyhanna Military Reservation, later Tobyhanna Army Depot, which was used as an Artillery training ground.[1][3] Edward B. Reed, in The Field Artillery Journal (January–March 1917), described Tobyhanna based on his experiences with the Yale Batteries during their training:
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