How to Find the Best Electrician Vocational School near Somers New York
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Somers NY. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Somers NY. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by New York trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by New York junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some New York institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Somers NY can perform a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Somers NY are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Somers NY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Somers NY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 directory of graduates, which may mean 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Somers NY grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Somers NY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment 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, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Somers NY electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Somers residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger 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 students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Somers NY, check that the programs 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, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Fastest Way To Become An Electrician Somers New York
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Fastest Way To Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Training Programs. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Somers NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Somers, New York
Somers is a town located in northeastern Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 20,434.[4] The nearby Metro-North Commuter Railroad provides service to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan with an average commute time of 65 to 75 minutes from stations at Purdys, Goldens Bridge, Croton Falls, and Katonah.
Somers was originally inhabited by Native Americans known as Kitchawanks, part of the Wappinger tribe, an Algonquian people who called the land Amapaugh, meaning "fresh water fish." This land was located in the eastern segment of an 83,000-acre (340 km2) tract King William III of England granted to Stephanus Van Cortlandt of New York City in 1697. The part of Van Cortlandt Manor that ultimately became Somers and Yorktown was known as the Middle District, or Hanover.
European settlement in the New Oltenia area began after Van Cortlandt's death in 1700 and the final partition of his estate in 1734. Early European settlers included tenants and freeholders from neighboring areas, among them English, Dutch, French Huguenots and Quakers. At the first known town meeting of European settlers held on March 7, 1788, at an inn owned by Benjamin Green, the town named Stephentown was established. However, there already existed a Stephentown in Rensselaer County. To alleviate confusion, the name was changed in 1808 to Somers to honor Richard Somers, a naval captain from New Jersey who died in combat during the First Barbary War. A memorial in West Somers Park was erected in his honor at Memorial Day ceremonies in 1958.
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