How to Become an Electrician in Lake Placid New York
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lake Placid NY. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, some students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Lake Placid NY
There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lake Placid NY. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by New York trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by New York junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some New York colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Lake Placid NY can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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 trade school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Lake Placid NY
A possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school 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 case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving expenses from Lake Placid NY are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lake Placid NY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Lake Placid NY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs 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 program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lake Placid NY students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Lake Placid NY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lake Placid NY electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lake Placid residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lake Placid NY, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lake Placid NY?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Lake Placid NY area.
Lake Placid, New York
The village of Lake Placid is near the center of the town of North Elba, 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Plattsburgh. Lake Placid, along with nearby Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, comprise what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. Lake Placid also hosted the 1972 Winter Universiade and the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games.
Lake Placid was founded in the early 19th century to develop an iron ore mining operation. By 1840, the population of "North Elba" (four miles southeast of the present village, near where the road to the Adirondak Loj crosses the Ausable River) was six families. In 1845, Gerrit Smith arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village but granted large tracts to former slaves. He reformed the land law and demonstrated his support of Abolitionism.
The abolitionist John Brown heard about Smith's reforms, and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acres (1.0 km2) of land in North Elba. This parcel later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbucto. Shortly before his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which is preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site.
Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Lake Placid NY
Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lake Placid NY.
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