How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Ashland Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Ashland ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are important, 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 job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Ashland ME. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Maine trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Maine colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Ashland ME can carry out a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
An alternative that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Ashland ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Ashland ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, 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 other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Ashland ME program 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 guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers 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 list of alumni, which can mean 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Ashland ME students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Ashland ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish 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 working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Ashland ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Ashland residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback relating to 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 reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Ashland ME, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
School To Be An Electrician Ashland Maine
Picking the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in School To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Industrial Electrical Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are reviewing 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 instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Ashland ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Ashland, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 81.54 square miles (211.19 km2), of which 80.41 square miles (208.26 km2) is land and 1.13 square miles (2.93 km2) is water.[1] Around Ashland are the smaller towns and townships of Masardis, Oxbow Plantation, Portage, Nashville Plantation, and Garfield Plantation. Most soils in the area have stony silt loam texture and show classic podzol profile development.[4]
In the 1830s William Dalton became the first Euro-American to establish residency at the site of the future town.[5][6] The community was organized as a plantation in 1840,[6] at which time there were 40 heads of household listed.[7] It was incorporated as a town in 1862, under the name of Ashland. From 1869 to 1876 the town was renamed "Dalton," but then reverted to its historic and current name.[6] The town grew geographically in size when Sheridan Plantation, which had been organized in 1878 to the north of Ashland, was annexed by Ashland in 1901 to form its present boundaries.[8]
The town of Ashland was located on the nineteenth-century stage route from Patten to Fort Kent. In the nineteenth-century logging was the main industry. The lumber industry was at a peak about 1915,[6] although some continues to the present.
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