How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Whitefield Maine
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Whitefield ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many factors to examine. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover 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 educational options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Whitefield ME. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maine technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Maine institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Whitefield ME can undertake a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three 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 vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling costs from Whitefield ME are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Whitefield ME area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Whitefield ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, 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 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 suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent 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 list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Whitefield ME grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Whitefield ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment 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, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Whitefield ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Whitefield home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Whitefield ME, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Vocational School Whitefield Maine
Selecting the right electrician training program will undoubtedly 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 Vocational School and wanting more information on the topic Train To Become An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Whitefield ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Whitefield, Maine
Whitefield is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,300 at the 2010 census. Whitefield is named for the celebrated British evangelist George Whitefield, who inspired the colonists before the town was settled in 1770, mainly by Irish Catholics.[4] They remembered him when incorporation came in 1809. Whitefield is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.51 square miles (123.05 km2), of which, 46.82 square miles (121.26 km2) of it is land and 0.69 square miles (1.79 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,300 people, 917 households, and 643 families residing in the town. The population density was 49.1 inhabitants per square mile (19.0/km2). There were 1,055 housing units at an average density of 22.5 per square mile (8.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
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