How to Choose the Best Electrician Trade School near Thiells New York
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Thiells NY. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Thiells NY. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by New York vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by New York community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some New York institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Thiells NY can perform a wide range 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 mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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 vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Thiells NY are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Thiells NY area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs 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 instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Thiells NY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs 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 might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Thiells NY graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Thiells NY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Thiells NY electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Thiells residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees 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 larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Thiells NY, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Trade Schools For Electricians Thiells New York
Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Trade Schools For Electricians and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Degree Online. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Thiells NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Thiells, New York
Thiells, known as Thiell's Corner in the 1850s, is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Mount Ivy, east of Pomona, south of Tomkins Cove, and west of Garnerville. The population was 5,032 as of the 2010 census.[1]
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 4,758 people, 1,503 households, and 1,300 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,562.2 per square mile (987.7/km²). There were 1,512 housing units at an average density of 814.2/sq mi (313.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.10% White, 3.89% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 3.47% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.65% of the population.
There were 1,503 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.5% were non-families. 10.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.38.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 437
39 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
17 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
12 Reviews 
25 Reviews 