How to Select the Best Electrician Tech School near Freeland Pennsylvania
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Freeland PA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to examine. For example, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Freeland PA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Pennsylvania colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Freeland PA can perform a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An option that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for 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 rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Freeland PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Freeland PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have attained 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 pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Freeland PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Freeland PA graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Freeland PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Freeland PA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Freeland home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Freeland PA, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician College Freeland Pennsylvania
Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician College and wanting more information on the topic How Long To Become A Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on 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, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Freeland PA.
More Electric Locations in Pennsylvania
Freeland, Pennsylvania
Freeland is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was originally called Birbeckville, South Heberton, and Freehold. Freeland is 18 miles (29 km) south of Wilkes-Barre and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Hazleton. It was incorporated as a borough on September 11, 1876. Coal mining was the chief industry in the community up until the mid-20th century. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,531.[3]
Joseph Birkbeck, the founder of Birbeckville, was born near Brough, in the county of Westmorland, England, on May 2, 1802. He and his wife Elizabeth came to America in 1844. After acquiring land from Edward Lynch the same year of his arrival, Birkbeck built a log cabin in a small valley between modern-day Freeland and Upper Lehigh. The next settler, Nathan Howey, purchased land from Birkbeck and built a frame house just west of Birkbeck's log cabin.
Developing coal mines in the nearby region created a steep increase in population and a demand for building lots. This led Birkbeck to survey the region for the town of South Heberton. South Heberton has long since lost its identity and is now simply a cluster of houses along Schwabe Street, which is now part of Freeland.[4]
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