Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Shickshinny PA 18655

How to Become an Electrician in Shickshinny Pennsylvania

Shickshinny PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Shickshinny PA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only qualifications that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Shickshinny PA

Shickshinny PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Shickshinny PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Pennsylvania trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Pennsylvania junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Pennsylvania colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Shickshinny PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Shickshinny PA can perform a wide range of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Shickshinny PA

attending electrician school online in Shickshinny PA An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Shickshinny PA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Shickshinny PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Shickshinny PA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Shickshinny PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require 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 finish the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Shickshinny PA students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Shickshinny PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form 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 state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Shickshinny PA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Shickshinny residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Shickshinny PA, check that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Shickshinny PA?

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

Shickshinny, Pennsylvania

The borough is named after Shickshinny Creek, which runs through the municipality and the surrounding area. According to the book Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania (by Dr. George P. Donehoo), the community's name likely means "Fine Stream" in a local Native American language.[4] However, according to the Shickshinny Historical Society, the name Shickshinny means "Five Mountains" in a Native American language. Five mountains — Newport, Knob, Lee, River, and Rocky — encircle the creek and borough.[5]

In 1782, the families of Austin and Crossley were the first white settlers in Shickshinny. The first permanent settler in the area was Ralph Austin.[6] At this time, Shickshinny was under the jurisdiction of Connecticut.[6][7] In 1801, Shadrick Austin bought the 256 acres (104 ha) of land.[8]

Another known settler in the area was William Koons (in the 1850s).[7] Koons settled one mile outside of Shickshinny (where the Shickshinny Creek Bridge was later erected). The name of the area was changed to Koonsville (where the post office was later built). In 1773, Nathan Beach, also from Connecticut, settled outside of modern-day Shickshinny. The area was named Beach Haven after him.[9]

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Shickshinny PA

Selecting the best electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Shickshinny PA.