Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Scranton PA 18501

How to Become an Electrician in Scranton Pennsylvania

Scranton PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Scranton PA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training 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 educational choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Scranton PA

Scranton PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Scranton PA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Pennsylvania technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two 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 supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Scranton PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Scranton PA can perform a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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 select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Scranton PA

attending electrician school online in Scranton PA An option that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Scranton PA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Scranton PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Scranton PA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Scranton PA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Scranton PA students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along 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 electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Scranton PA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing 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 tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Scranton PA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Scranton residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Scranton PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Scranton PA?

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

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton is the sixth-largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania behind Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie and Reading. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County in Northeastern Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley and hosts a federal court building. With a population of 77,291, it is the largest city in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of about 570,000.[4]

Scranton is the geographic and cultural center of the Lackawanna River valley, and the largest of the former anthracite coal mining communities in a contiguous quilt-work that also includes Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, and Carbondale. Scranton was incorporated on February 14, 1856, as a borough in Luzerne County and as a city on April 23, 1866. It became a major industrial city, a center of mining and railroads, and attracted thousands of new immigrants. It was the site of the Scranton General Strike in 1877.

People in northern Luzerne County sought a new county in 1839 but the Wilkes-Barre area resisted losing its assets. Lackawanna County did not gain independent status until 1878. Under legislation allowing the issue to be voted by residents of the proposed territory, voters favored the new county by a proportion of 6 to 1, with Scranton residents providing the major support. The city was designated as the county seat when Lackawanna County was established in 1878, and a judicial district was authorized in 1879.

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Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Scranton PA

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Scranton PA.