How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Shirley Massachusetts
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Shirley MA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Shirley MA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Massachusetts trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Massachusetts community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Massachusetts colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Shirley MA can perform a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) and also 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 educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Shirley MA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Shirley MA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Shirley MA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Shirley MA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Shirley MA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Shirley MA electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Shirley home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
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 at night or on weekends near Shirley MA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain 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, illness or family issues.
Electrician Schooling Requirements Shirley Massachusetts
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Schooling Requirements and wanting more information on the topic Home Electrical Courses. 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 necessity that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Shirley MA.
More Electric Locations in Massachusetts
Shirley, Massachusetts
Shirley is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately fifty miles west-northwest of Boston. The population was 7,211 at the 2010 census.[1] The town has a well-preserved historic New England town center.
It is home to the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Shirley, a medium-security state prison. (The neighboring maximum-security Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center lies just outside the town limits in the town of Lancaster.) The remains of a Shaker village have been preserved within the grounds of the prison.
The inhabitants at the time of European encounter were Nipmuc (or Pennacook) Indians, who called the area Catacunemaug. Once part of "The Plantation of Groton," Shirley was first settled by English pioneers about 1720.
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