Find Electrician Schools Near Me in East Stroudsburg PA 18301

How to Become an Electrician in East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near East Stroudsburg PA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near East Stroudsburg PA

East Stroudsburg PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near East Stroudsburg PA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

East Stroudsburg PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in East Stroudsburg PA can perform a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three levels of competency:

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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in East Stroudsburg PA

attending electrician school online in East Stroudsburg PA An option that you might have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from East Stroudsburg PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

East Stroudsburg PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the East Stroudsburg PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the East Stroudsburg PA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist East Stroudsburg PA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with East Stroudsburg PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local East Stroudsburg PA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your East Stroudsburg residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving 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 challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify 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 East Stroudsburg PA, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near East Stroudsburg PA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the East Stroudsburg PA area.

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state. Originally known as "Dansbury," East Stroudsburg was renamed for geographic reasons when the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad opened a station in town. It lies east of Stroudsburg and is more populous than that town. East Stroudsburg is the largest municipality in Monroe County and in the East Stroudsburg, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area[3] as designated by the Office of Management and Budget based on data from the 2010 US Census.

East Stroudsburg is located at 41°0′5″N 75°10′48″W / 41.00139°N 75.18000°W / 41.00139; -75.18000 (41.001442, -75.180111).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all of it land. When traveling west on Interstate 80, East Stroudsburg is the second town from the NJ-PA border on exit 309.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 9,840 people residing in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough was 73.2% White, 10.0% Black, 0.1% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.3% from some other race and 2.0% from two or more races. 11.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near East Stroudsburg PA

Picking the right electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in East Stroudsburg PA.