How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near North Bergen New Jersey
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near North Bergen NJ. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified a few that are within driving range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. 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 final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near North Bergen NJ. You can choose 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 first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by New Jersey technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish and are provided by New Jersey community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain New Jersey colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in North Bergen NJ can perform a vast array of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting expenses from North Bergen NJ are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the North Bergen NJ region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the North Bergen NJ 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 ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors 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 broader list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist North Bergen NJ students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with North Bergen NJ area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local North Bergen NJ electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your North Bergen home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near North Bergen NJ, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Best Electrician Schools North Bergen New Jersey
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic How Many Years Of College To Be An Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in North Bergen NJ.
More Electric Locations in New Jersey
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 60,773,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,681 (+4.6%) from the 58,092 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 9,678 (+20.0%) from the 48,414 counted in the 1990 Census.[20] The town was founded in 1843. It was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions.[3] Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one of the "hilliest" municipalities in the United States.[21] Like neighboring North Hudson communities, North Bergen is among those places in the nation with the highest population density and a majority Hispanic population.
At the time of European colonization. the area was the territory of Hackensack tribe of the Lenape Native Americans,[22] who maintained a settlement, Espatingh, on the west side of the hills.[23][24][25] and where a Dutch trading post was established after the Peach Tree War.[26] In 1658, Peter Stuyvesant, then Director-General of New Netherland, repurchased from them the area now encompassed by the municipalities of Hudson County east of the Hackensack River. In 1660 he granted permission to establish the semi-autonomous colony of Bergen, with the main village located at today's Bergen Square, considered to be the first chartered municipality in what would become the state of New Jersey.[27] At the time, the area of North Bergen was heavily forested, traversed by paths used by the indigenous and colonizing population and became known as Bergen Woods, a name recalled in today's neighborhood of Bergenwood.
After the 1664 surrender of Fort Amsterdam the entire New Netherland colony came into the possession of the British, who established the Province of New Jersey. In 1682, the East Jersey legislature formed the state's first four counties, including Bergen County, which consisted of all the land in the peninsula between the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers; that is, the eastern portions of what today is Bergen and Hudson Counties.[28] In 1693, Bergen County was divided into two townships: Hackensack Township in the north, and Bergen Township, encompassing the Bergen Neck peninsula, in the south. The border between the two townships is the current Hudson-Bergen county line.[29][30]
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