How to Find the Right Electrician Vocational School near Stockton Springs Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Stockton Springs ME. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found a few that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several approaches to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Stockton Springs 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 prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Maine trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Stockton Springs ME can undertake a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech 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 might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Stockton Springs ME are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Stockton Springs ME region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs 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 an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Stockton Springs ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require 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 considering 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 might signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Stockton Springs ME graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Stockton Springs ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Stockton Springs ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Stockton Springs home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges 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 some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments relating to 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 have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Stockton Springs ME, check that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Train As Electrician Stockton Springs Maine
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Train As Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Training School. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Stockton Springs ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Stockton Springs, Maine
Stockton Springs is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,591 at the 2010 census. Stockton Springs is home to Fort Point State Park and Fort Point Light, both located on Fort Point, a peninsula on Cape Jellison.
Part of the Waldo Patent, it was first settled about 1759, the year Governor Thomas Pownall completed Fort Pownall on Fort Point.[4] The defense was intended to guard the mouth of the Penobscot River estuary during the French and Indian War. Fort Pownall was burned in 1775 and 1779 by the British themselves, to prevent it from falling into the hands of American rebels.[5]
On February 29, 1794, the area was incorporated as part of Prospect, but then set off and incorporated as a town on March 13, 1857, named Stockton after a port in England.[6] In 1859, businesses included four sawmills, three shingle mills, two lath mills, one carding machine, one cloth-dressing mill, one tannery, four shipyards, six blacksmith shops, and several mechanic shops. By 1886, it also had a shoe factory, cheese factory, a door, sash and blind factory, cask and barrel makers, and a clothing factory.[7] On February 5, 1889, the town's name was changed to Stockton Springs in anticipation of bottling local spring water. When sediment was discovered in the bottles, however, the plan was abandoned.
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