Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lake George NY 12845

How to Become an Electrician in Lake George New York

Lake George NY electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lake George NY. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many variables to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Lake George NY

Lake George NY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lake George NY. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by New York trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are provided 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 prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some New York institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Lake George NY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lake George NY can undertake a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, 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 offered vary by state and may be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Lake George NY

attending electrician school online in Lake George NY A possibility that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Lake George NY are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lake George NY electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Lake George NY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 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 a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Lake George NY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lake George NY students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Lake George NY area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lake George NY electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lake George home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers 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 evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lake George NY, confirm that the programs you are considering offer 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 protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lake George NY?

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

Lake George, New York

Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, United States. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census.[2] The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.[4]

The first European to visit the lake was Father Isaac Jogues in August 1642.[5] He was later captured by Mohawks, escaped, and returned home to France. In 1646, he was sent on a political mission to the Iroquois to propose a treaty of peace, and at that point named the lake "Lac du Saint Sacrement" (Lake of the Blessed Sacrament).[5]

Lake George was also the site of Fort William Henry, named in honor of Prince William Henry, grandson of King George II, by General Johnson. The fort, its surrender to the Marquis de Montcalm after a six-day siege by the French and Indians, and the following massacre all in 1757 were used by James Fenimore Cooper as the background for his famous novel The Last of the Mohicans. The fort was reconstructed and opened to the public as a museum in 1953.[5]

The location could not be found.

Select the Right Electrician Tech School near Lake George NY

Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lake George NY.