Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Thornwood NY 10594

How to Become an Electrician in Thornwood New York

Thornwood NY electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Thornwood NY. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many points to evaluate. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Thornwood NY

Thornwood NY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Thornwood NY. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by New York vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by New York community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some New York institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Thornwood NY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Thornwood NY can perform a wide range of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Thornwood NY

attending electrician school online in Thornwood NY A possibility that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Thornwood NY are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Thornwood NY electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Thornwood NY region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Thornwood NY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Thornwood NY graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Thornwood NY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Thornwood NY electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Thornwood home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Thornwood NY, check that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Thornwood NY?

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

Thornwood, New York

Thornwood is a hamlet (unincorporated community), census-designated place (CDP), and postal designation (with zip code 10594) in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The population was 3,759 at the 2010 census.[1]

In 1891, Lewis Smadback started a very successful development at what is now Thornwood. The village of Sherman Park was incorporated in 1906 and the name was changed to Hillside in 1909. The village was dissolved in 1914, when Thornwood took its current name and became a hamlet within the Town of Mount Pleasant. It is possible that Thornwood is a derivative of "Hawthorne's Woods," since Hawthorne is an adjacent hamlet.

Thornwood once had a large and thriving Westchester marble quarry near its heart, the intersection of Route 141 and Kensico Road (known as Four Corners). Dating back to 1845, the quarry supplied white marble which helped build St. Patrick's Cathedral (hence the name of Marble Avenue which runs through the hamlet). The quarry pit was filled in during the mid-1980s, and the Town Center shopping mall was constructed over it.

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Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near Thornwood NY

Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed 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 must that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. 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 choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Thornwood NY.