How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Trade School near Saco Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Saco ME. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found some that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Saco ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are provided by Maine community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Maine colleges, but are less preferred 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 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 Requirements
Electricians in Saco ME can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Saco ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Saco ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school 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 a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Saco ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent 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 more extensive 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 can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Saco ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Saco ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Saco ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Saco home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction 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 experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools 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 Saco ME, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be 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 because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Vocational Electrician Schools Saco Maine
Selecting the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Vocational Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Course. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Saco ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Saco, Maine
Saco /ˈsɑːkoʊ/ is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems (also known by its former name, Saco Defense), a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics. Saco sees much tourism during summer months, due to its amusement parks, Ferry Beach State Park, and proximity to Old Orchard Beach.
This was territory of the Abenaki tribe whose fortified village was located up the Sokokis Trail at Pequawket (now Fryeburg). In July 1607, 500 wariors led by sakmow (Grand Chief) of the Mi'kmaq First Nations Henri Membertou was revenge for murder and similar acts of hostility. The group raided on the Armouchiquois town, Chouacoet, present-day Saco, killing 20 of their braves, including two of their leaders, Onmechin and Marchin.[4]
The township was granted in 1630 by the Plymouth Company to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonython, and extended 4 miles (6.4 km) along the sea, by 8 miles (13 km) inland. Settled in 1631 as part of Winter Harbor (as Biddeford Pool was first known). It would be reorganized in 1653 by the Massachusetts General Court as Saco, which would be renamed Biddeford in 1718.[5][6]
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