How to Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near Athens Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Athens ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For instance, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Athens ME. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Maine colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Athens ME can perform a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to 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 differ by state and can be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Athens ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number 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 obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Athens ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed 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 chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Athens ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Athens ME students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Athens ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Athens ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Athens home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Athens ME, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Vocational School Electrician Athens Maine
Selecting the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Vocational School Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Training Courses For Electricians. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between 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 should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Athens ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Athens, Maine
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,019 people, 391 households, and 270 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.4 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 577 housing units at an average density of 13.2 per square mile (5.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.4% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 391 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the town was 40.4 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.
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