How to Find the Right Electrician Trade School near Syracuse New York
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Syracuse NY. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Syracuse NY. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by New York trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two 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 comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain New York institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Syracuse NY can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing 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 become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 vocational school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Syracuse NY are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Syracuse NY area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Syracuse NY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Syracuse NY graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Syracuse NY area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Syracuse NY electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Syracuse home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn 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 reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Syracuse NY, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Training Programs Syracuse New York
Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Training Programs and wanting more information on the topic Electric College. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are examining 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 should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Syracuse NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse (/ˈsɪrəkjuːz, ˈsɛr-, -kjuːs/)[3][4][5] is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, in the United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Yonkers.
At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,252, and its metropolitan area had a population of 662,577. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New York, a region with over one million inhabitants. Syracuse is also well-provided with convention sites, with a downtown convention complex. Syracuse was named after the classical Greek city Syracuse (Siracusa in Italian), a city on the eastern coast of the Italian island of Sicily.
The city has functioned as a major crossroads over the last two centuries, first between the Erie Canal and its branch canals, then of the railway network. Today, Syracuse is at the intersection of Interstates 81 and 90. Its airport is the largest in the region. Syracuse is home to Syracuse University, a major research university, as well as Le Moyne College, a nationally recognized liberal arts college. In 2010, Forbes rated Syracuse fourth among the top 10 places in the U.S. to raise a family.[6]
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