How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Technical School near Fairfield Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Fairfield ME. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Fairfield ME. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Maine technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Fairfield ME can undertake a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in various specialties, including 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Fairfield ME are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Fairfield ME area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. 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 crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned 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 instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Fairfield ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors 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 broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Fairfield ME students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Fairfield ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Fairfield ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Fairfield home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Fairfield ME, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrician Certification Classes Fairfield Maine
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Certification Classes and wanting more information on the topic Electric Course. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Fairfield ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Fairfield, Maine
Fairfield is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,735 at the 2010 census. The town includes Fairfield Center, Fairfield village and Hinckley, and borders the city of Waterville to the south. It is home to the Good Will-Hinckley School, Lawrence High School and Kennebec Valley Community College.
The area was territory of the Canibas tribe of Abenaki Indians residing at Taconnet village, once located downriver at the confluence of the Sebasticook and Kennebec rivers in what is today Winslow. In 1692 during King William's War, the village was burned, so the Canibas tribe abandoned the area. The French and Indian Wars finally ended in 1763, leaving the region open for English colonization. Fairfield Plantation, named for its fair aspect, was first settled in 1774.[4]
Benedict Arnold and his troops rested and re-provisioned here in 1775 during their march up the Kennebec River to the Battle of Quebec. Following the Revolutionary War, Fairfield Plantation developed as a trade and agricultural town, with farms producing hay, grain and potatoes. It was noted for the number and quality of its cattle. On June 18, 1788, it was incorporated as Fairfield. By 1790, the community had 492 inhabitants. In 1837, it produced 11,531 bushels of wheat and a large quantity of wool.[4]
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