Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Astoria NY 11102

How to Become an Electrician in Astoria New York

Astoria NY electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Astoria NY. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address 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.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Astoria NY

Astoria NY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Astoria NY. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by New York technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by New York junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain New York colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Astoria NY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Astoria NY can perform a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies 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 vocational school that you choose not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Astoria NY

attending electrician school online in Astoria NY An option that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Astoria NY are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Astoria NY electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Astoria NY area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about 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 while all three qualifiers may be critical 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 assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Astoria NY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Astoria NY grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Astoria NY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Astoria NY electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Astoria home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Astoria NY, check that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Astoria NY?

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

Astoria, Queens

Astoria is a middle-class[4] and commercial neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside (bordering at Northern Boulevard), and Woodside (bordering at 50th Street). It is located in Community Board 1, and is patrolled by the New York City Police Department's 114th Precinct.[5] As of 2016[update], Astoria has an estimated population of 78,793.[2]

The area now known as Astoria was originally called Hallett's Cove, after its first landowner William Hallett, who settled there in 1652 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones. Beginning in the early 19th century, affluent New Yorkers constructed large residences around 12th and 14th streets, an area that later became known as Astoria Village (now Old Astoria). Hallett's Cove, incorporated on April 12, 1839[6] and previously founded by fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey, was a noted recreational destination and resort for Manhattan's wealthy.[7][8]

The area was renamed for John Jacob Astor, then the wealthiest man in America with a net worth of more than $40 million, in order to persuade him to invest in the neighborhood. He only invested $500, but the name stayed nonetheless, as a bitter battle over naming the village finally was won by Astor's supporters and friends. From Astor's summer home in Hell Gate, Manhattan—on what is now East 87th Street near York Avenue—he could see across the East River the new Long Island village named in his honor. Astor, however, never actually set foot in Astoria.

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Pick the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Astoria NY

Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Astoria NY.