How to Pick the Best Electrician Tech School near Watkins Glen New York
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Watkins Glen NY. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician 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 instructional options that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Watkins Glen NY. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by New York trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by New York junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some New York institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Watkins Glen NY can perform a multitude of services, 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 be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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 tech school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way 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 practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Watkins Glen NY are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Watkins Glen NY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. 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 crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Watkins Glen NY program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also 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 affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Watkins Glen NY graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Watkins Glen NY area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build 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 using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Watkins Glen NY electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Watkins Glen residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one 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 big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Watkins Glen NY, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Train To Be An Electrician Watkins Glen New York
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Train To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Schools That Offer Electrician Training. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school 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 Watkins Glen NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Watkins Glen, New York
Watkins Glen is a village in Schuyler County, New York, United States, and it is the county seat of Schuyler County.[4] Watkins Glen lies within the towns of Dix and Reading. The current mayor, as of 2015, is Samuel Schimizzi. The village is home to the well-known race track Watkins Glen International, host of NASCAR Cup Series, IndyCar and a former host of the United States Grand Prix of Formula One.
The first settlement of European peoples in the area began circa 1800. Watkins Glen was the northern terminus of the Chemung Canal, started in 1830 and completed in 1833, connecting Seneca Lake to the Chemung River. Catharine Creek, flowing into the lake through the village, was used to help create the canal. The village was incorporated in 1842 as Salubria, then Jefferson, but was renamed Watkins after Dr. Samuel Watkins, the founder, for his contributions to the community. The current name Watkins Glen was adopted in 1926.
The A. F. Chapman House, First Baptist Church of Watkins Glen, Schuyler County Courthouse Complex, St. James Episcopal Church, United States Post Office, Watkins Glen Commercial Historic District, Watkins Glen Grand Prix Course, 1948-1952, and Watkins Glen High School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5][6][7]
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