How to Choose the Best Electrician Tech School near Reading Massachusetts
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Reading MA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple ways to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Reading MA. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Massachusetts vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are provided by Massachusetts junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Massachusetts colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Reading MA can undertake a vast array 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 municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three levels of competency:
- 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
An option that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Reading MA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Reading MA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Reading MA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 Reading MA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Reading MA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish 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 state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently 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 Reading MA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Reading residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Reading MA, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Become A Certified Electrician Reading Massachusetts
Selecting the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become A Certified Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Online Courses For Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Reading MA.
More Electric Locations in Massachusetts
Reading, Massachusetts
Many of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's original settlers arrived from England in the 1630s through the ports of Lynn and Salem. In 1639 some citizens of Lynn petitioned the government of the colony for a "place for an inland plantation". They were initially granted six square miles, followed by an additional four. The first settlement in this grant was at first called "Lynn Village" and was located on the south shore of the "Great Pond", now known as Lake Quannapowitt. On June 10, 1644 the settlement was incorporated as the town of Reading, taking its name from the town of Reading in England.[2]
The first church was organized soon after the settlement, and the first parish separated and became the town of "South Reading" in 1812, renaming itself as Wakefield in 1868. Thomas Parker was one of the founders of Reading. He also was a founder of the 12th Congregational Church (now the First Parish Congregational Church), and served as deacon there.[3][4][5][6] He was a selectman of Reading and was appointed a judicial commissioner.[7] There is evidence that Parker was "conspicuous in naming the town" and that he was related to the Parker family of Little Norton, England, who owned land by the name of Ryddinge.[8][9][10]
A special grant in 1651 added land north of the Ipswich River to the town of Reading. In 1853 this area became the separate town of North Reading. The area which currently comprises the town of Reading was originally known as "Wood End", or "Third Parish".[2]
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