How to Select the Best Electrician Tech School near Woodside New York
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Woodside NY. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of points to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified a few that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only qualifications that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Woodside NY. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by New York trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are offered by New York community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some New York colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Woodside NY can carry out a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Woodside NY are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Woodside NY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have attained 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, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Woodside NY program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Woodside NY graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Woodside NY area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Woodside NY electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Woodside residence. 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 important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Woodside NY, verify that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
What Degree Do You Need To Be An Electrician Woodside New York
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in What Degree Do You Need To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Degree Requirements. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. 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 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 students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Woodside NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Woodside, Queens
Woodside is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside, and on the east by Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. Some areas are widely residential and very quiet, while other parts, especially the ones around Roosevelt Avenue, are busier. The neighborhood is located in Queens Community Board 1 and Queens Community Board 2.[3]
In the 19th century the area was part of the Town of Newtown (now Elmhurst). The adjacent area of Winfield was largely incorporated into the post office serving Woodside and as a consequence Winfield lost much of its identity distinct from Woodside. However, with large-scale residential development in the 1860s, Woodside became the largest Irish American community in Queens, being approximately 80% Irish by the 1930s and maintaining a strong Irish culture today. In the early 1990s, many Asian American families moved into the area, with the population being 30% Asian American. South Asians and Latinos have also moved to Woodside in recent years.
Reflecting its longtime diverse foods and drink, the neighborhood is filled with many cultural restaurants and pubs. It is also home to some of the city's most popular Thai, Filipino, and South American eateries.[4][5]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 658
21 Reviews 
29 Reviews 
44 Reviews 
113 Reviews 
57 Reviews 
73 Reviews 
18 Reviews 
16 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
33 Reviews 