How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Uniondale New York
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Uniondale NY. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For instance, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be considered. Also important 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 final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Uniondale NY. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by New York technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by New York junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some New York institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Uniondale NY can perform a multitude of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three 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 trade school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Uniondale NY are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Uniondale NY area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about 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 chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Uniondale NY program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Uniondale NY grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Uniondale NY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Uniondale NY electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Uniondale home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Uniondale NY, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Electrician Technical Schools Uniondale New York
Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Technical Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certificate Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Uniondale NY.
More Electric Locations in New York
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP), as well as a suburb in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The ZIP Code is 11553. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census. Uniondale is home to Hofstra University's north campus.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2), all land. It is a diverse, predominantly African-American hamlet and neighbors the diverse towns of Hempstead, Roosevelt, East Meadow, Garden City, and Freeport.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 23,011 people, 6,026 households, and 4,826 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 8,676.5 per square mile (3,352.7/km²). There were 6,201 housing units at an average density of 2,338.1/sq mi (903.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 26.97% White, 55.53% Black, 0.35% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 9.95% from other races, and 5.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.86% of the population.
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