Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Bangor PA 18013

How to Become an Electrician in Bangor Pennsylvania

Bangor PA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Bangor PA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Bangor PA

Bangor PA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Bangor PA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Pennsylvania vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by Pennsylvania community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Pennsylvania institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Bangor PA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Bangor PA can carry out a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Bangor PA

attending electrician school online in Bangor PA An option that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Bangor PA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Bangor PA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Bangor PA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Bangor PA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Bangor PA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction 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 electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Bangor PA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Bangor PA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Bangor residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Bangor PA, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Bangor PA?

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

Bangor, Pennsylvania

Bangor is a borough located in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, 32 miles (51 km) north of Allentown, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt. It had a population of 5,273 according to the 2010 census.

The borough was settled about 1760 and first incorporated in 1875. The founder and first Chief Burgess of Bangor was Robert M. Jones, an emigrant from Bangor, Wales. He was the prime mover in the establishment of the slate industry in Northampton County. Slate quarries pepper the area, but only a few are still functioning. A life-sized statue of him, dedicated on September 24, 1914, remains in the town center.[4]

Indeed, if one visits Bangor, Wales it is clearly visible that the Welsh heritage made its way to Bangor, Pennsylvania, whose stone walls, rectangular gardens, and lovely flowers and greenery mirror those of its Welsh namesake. Around Bangor one can also see piles of slate residue and shale reminiscent of the area around Bethesda, Wales.[5]

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Choose the Right Electrician Trade School near Bangor PA

Selecting the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Bangor PA.