How to Choose the Right Electrician Training School near Auburn Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Auburn ME. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Auburn ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Maine technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Auburn ME can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Auburn ME are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Auburn ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Auburn ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Auburn ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together 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 electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Auburn ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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 specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Auburn ME electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Auburn residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Auburn ME, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Certified Electrician Course Auburn Maine
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Certified Electrician Course and wanting more information on the topic Evening Electrician Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Auburn ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States.[6] The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. Auburn and Lewiston (directly across the Androscoggin River from each other) are known locally as the Twin Cities or Lewiston–Auburn (L–A).
The area was originally part of the Pejepscot Purchase, land bought in 1714 by an association of people from Boston and Portsmouth following the Treaty of Portsmouth, which brought peace between the Abenaki Indians and the settlers of present-day Maine. In 1736, however, the Massachusetts General Court granted a large section of the land to veterans of the 1690 Battle of Quebec. Conflicting claims led to prolonged litigation; consequently, settlement was delayed until after the French and Indian Wars.[7]
Auburn was first settled in 1786 as part of Bakerstown, renamed Poland when it was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court in 1795. It was then part of Minot, formed from parts of Poland and incorporated in 1802. Auburn would itself be formed from parts of Minot and incorporated on February 24, 1842. The name was apparently inspired by "Auburn", a village (real or fictitious) featured in the 1770 poem "The Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith.[8] Originally part of Cumberland County, the town became county seat of Androscoggin County at its creation in 1854. By annexing land from towns around it, including part of Poland in 1852, Minot in 1873, and all of Danville (first called Pejepscot) in 1867, Auburn grew geographically into one of Maine's largest municipalities. Incorporated a city on February 22, 1869,[2] Auburn in 1917 would be the first city in the state to adopt a council-manager form of government.[7]
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