How to Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Belfast Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Belfast ME. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several approaches to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Belfast ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Maine colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Belfast ME can carry out a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling costs from Belfast ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Belfast ME region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Belfast ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors 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 directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Belfast ME graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training 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 contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Belfast ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Belfast ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Belfast home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Belfast ME, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Learn Electrician Belfast Maine
Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Learn Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Train As Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Belfast ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Belfast, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay. Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County.[4] The seaport has a wealth of antique architecture in several historic districts, and remains popular with tourists.
The area was once territory of the Penobscot tribe of Abenaki Native Americans, which each summer visited the seashore to hunt for fish, shellfish and seafowl. In 1630, it became part of the Muscongus Patent, which granted rights for English trading posts with the Native Americans, especially for the lucrative fur trade. About 1720, General Samuel Waldo of Boston bought the Muscongus Patent, which had evolved into outright ownership of the land, and was thereafter known as the Waldo Patent.[5]
Waldo died in 1759, and his heirs would sell the plantation of Passagassawakeag (named after its river) to 35 Scots-Irish proprietors from Londonderry, New Hampshire. Renamed Belfast after Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was first settled in 1770, and incorporated as a town in 1773. The village was mostly abandoned during the Revolution while British forces occupied Bagaduce (now Castine).[6] The British military burned Belfast in 1779, then held it for five days in September 1814 during the War of 1812.[7]
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