Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Uniondale NY 11553

How to Become an Electrician in Uniondale New York

Uniondale NY electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Uniondale NY. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Uniondale NY

Uniondale NY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Uniondale NY. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most typical programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by New York technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by New York community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some New York colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Uniondale NY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Uniondale NY can undertake a vast array of tasks, including 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 become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Uniondale NY

attending electrician school online in Uniondale NY An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting costs from Uniondale NY are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Uniondale NY electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Uniondale NY region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Uniondale NY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Uniondale NY students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Uniondale NY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Uniondale NY electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Uniondale residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Uniondale NY, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Uniondale NY?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Uniondale NY area.

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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Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Uniondale NY

Choosing the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Uniondale NY.