How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Wilkes Barre PA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Wilkes Barre PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Wilkes Barre PA can carry out a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
An alternative that you may have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Wilkes Barre PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Wilkes Barre PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Wilkes Barre PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program 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 finish the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct 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 directory of alumni, which may produce 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Wilkes Barre PA graduates secure 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 within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Wilkes Barre PA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Wilkes Barre PA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Wilkes Barre home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors 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 assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Wilkes Barre PA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
How Long To Become A Electrician Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long To Become A Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Near Me. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Wilkes Barre PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre (/ˈwɪlksˌbɛər/ or /-bɛəri/) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. It is one of the principal cities in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley, it is second in size to the nearby city of Scranton. The Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census, making it the fourth-largest metro/statistical area in the state of Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding Wyoming Valley are framed by the Pocono Mountains to the east, the Endless Mountains to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The Susquehanna River flows through the center of the valley and defines the northwestern border of the city.
Wilkes-Barre was founded in 1769 and formally incorporated in 1806. The city grew rapidly in the 19th century after the discovery of nearby coal reserves and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of immigrants who provided a labor force for the local mines. The coal mining fueled industrialization in the city, which reached the height of its prosperity in the first half of the 20th century. Its population peaked at more than 86,000. Following World War II, the city's economy declined due to the collapse of industry. The Knox Mine disaster accelerated this trend after large portions of the area's coal mines were flooded and could not be reopened. Today the city has a population of 40,569, making it the largest city in Luzerne County and the 13th-largest city in Pennsylvania.
By the 18th century, the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by the Shawnee and Delaware Indian (Lenape) tribes. In 1753, the Susquehanna Company was founded in Connecticut for settling the Wyoming Valley (in modern-day Pennsylvania). Connecticut succeeded in purchasing the land from the Native Americans; however, Pennsylvania already claimed the very same territory through a purchase they made in 1736. In 1762, roughly two hundred Connecticut settlers (Yankees) established a settlement near Mill Creek. They planted wheat and constructed log cabins. The Yankees returned to New England for the winter.[6]
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