How to Pick the Best Electrician Vocational School near Houghton Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Houghton ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are multiple approaches to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Houghton ME. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered 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 join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Houghton ME can perform a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of proficiency:
- 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Houghton ME are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Houghton ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Houghton ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Houghton ME students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Houghton ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Houghton ME electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Houghton residence. Remember that if you decide to attend 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 important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Houghton ME, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrical Trade Schools Houghton Maine
Choosing the right electrical trade school 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 Electrical Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic Vocational School Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Houghton ME.
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Kris Jenner
Kristen Mary Jenner (née Houghton /ˈhoʊtən/ HOH-tən, formerly Kardashian; born November 5, 1955)[1] is an American television personality, entertainment manager, producer, businesswoman, and author. She rose to fame starring in the reality television series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007–present).
She has four children from her first marriage to lawyer Robert Kardashian: Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Robert, and two children from her second marriage to television personality and retired Olympic Games medalist, Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn): Kendall and Kylie.
Jenner was born in San Diego, California. She is the first child of Mary Jo Shannon (née Campbell; born 1934) and Robert True Houghton,[2][3] an engineer.[4][5] She is of Dutch, English, Irish, German and Scottish descent. When Jenner was seven years old, her parents divorced and she and her younger sister, Karen, were raised by their mother until a few years later when her mother married businessman Harry Shannon.
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