Find Electrician Schools Near Me in West Point NY 10996

How to Become an Electrician in West Point New York

West Point NY electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near West Point NY. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near West Point NY

West Point NY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near West Point NY. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by New York technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are provided by New York community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain New York institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

West Point NY electricians working on power lines Electricians in West Point NY can carry out a multitude of services, 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 mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, such as 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in West Point NY

attending electrician school online in West Point NY An alternative that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from West Point NY are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

West Point NY electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the West Point NY region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the West Point NY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 complete the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help West Point NY grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with West Point NY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional 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 using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local West Point NY electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your West Point residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near West Point NY, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near West Point NY?

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

West Point, New York

West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the American Revolution. Until January 1778, West Point was not occupied by the military. On January 27, 1778, Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons and his brigade crossed the ice on the Hudson River and climbed to the plain on West Point and from that day to the present, West Point has been occupied by the United States Army. It comprises approximately 16,000 acres (6,500 ha) including the campus of the United States Military Academy, which is commonly called "West Point".

It is a Census Designated Place (CDP) located in the Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York,[2][3] located on the western bank of the Hudson River. The population was 6,763 at the 2010 census. It is part of the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area.

West Point (then Fort Clinton), was a fortified site during the Revolutionary War. Originally picked because of the abnormal S-curve in the Hudson River at this point, the defenses of West Point were designed by Polish military engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko, who served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army.

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Choose the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near West Point NY

Choosing the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in West Point NY.