How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Lincolnville Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lincolnville ME. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to consider. For example, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lincolnville ME. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded 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 institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Lincolnville ME can carry out a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving costs from Lincolnville ME are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lincolnville ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 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 while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Lincolnville ME school is 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 a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering 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 could signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also mean 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 broader list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Lincolnville ME graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Lincolnville ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lincolnville ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lincolnville residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience 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 Lincolnville 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 allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Online Electrician Training Lincolnville Maine
Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrician Training and wanting more information on the topic Learn How To Be An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lincolnville ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Lincolnville, Maine
Approximately 10,000 years ago, a glacier covered the area to a depth of several thousand feet, carving irregular landforms that survive today. The earliest artifact of European origin was fragments of a 1650-1660 clay pipe, probably a trade good with the native population. First settled in 1774, the town was incorporated in 1802 from Canaan and Ducktrap plantations. It was named for General Benjamin Lincoln, a Revolutionary War General and friend of Henry Knox.[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.65 square miles (113.05 km2), of which, 37.34 square miles (96.71 km2) is land and 6.31 square miles (16.34 km2) is water.[3] Located along the western side of Penobscot Bay, Lincolnville is drained by the Ducktrap River. Principle bodies of water include: Megunticook Lake, Norton Pond (123 acres), Coleman Pond (225 acres), Moody Pond (61 acres) and Levenseller Pond (34 acres).
The town is served by U.S. Route 1, Maine State Routes 173, 52 and 235. It is bordered by Belmont on the north, Northport on the northeast, Penobscot Bay on the east, Camden on the south, Hope on the west and Searsmont on the northwest.
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