Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Newton MA 02158

How to Become an Electrician in Newton Massachusetts

Newton MA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Newton MA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many variables to consider. For instance, many students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Newton MA

Newton MA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Newton MA. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the three most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Massachusetts technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are provided by Massachusetts junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Massachusetts colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Newton MA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Newton MA can perform a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves three 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Newton MA

attending electrician school online in Newton MA A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Newton MA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Newton MA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Newton MA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may 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 Newton MA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of 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 course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Newton MA graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Newton MA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Newton MA electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Newton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Newton MA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Newton MA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Newton MA area.

Newton, Massachusetts

Newton is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately 7 miles (11 km) west of downtown Boston and is bordered by Boston's Brighton and West Roxbury neighborhoods to the east and south, respectively, and by the suburb of Brookline to the east, the suburbs of Watertown and Waltham to the north, and Weston, Wellesley and Needham to the west. Rather than having a single city center, Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.

Newton was settled in 1630 as part of "the newe towne", which was renamed Cambridge in 1638. Roxbury minister John Eliot convinced the Native American people of Nonantum, a sub-tribe of the Massachusett led by a sachem named Waban, to relocate to Natick in 1651, fearing that they would be exploited by colonists.[3] Newton was incorporated as a separate town, known as Cambridge Village, in 1688, then renamed Newtown in 1691, and finally Newton in 1766.[4] It became a city in 1873. Newton is known as The Garden City.

In Reflections in Bullough's Pond, Newton historian Diana Muir describes the early industries that developed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in a series of mills built to take advantage of the water power available at Newton Upper Falls and Newton Lower Falls. Snuff, chocolate, glue, paper and other products were produced in these small mills but, according to Muir, the water power available in Newton was not sufficient to turn Newton into a manufacturing city, although it was, beginning in 1902, the home of the Stanley Motor Carriage Company, the maker of the Stanley Steamer.

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Newton MA

Picking the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Newton MA.