How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Bowdoinham Maine
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Bowdoinham ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several ways to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Bowdoinham ME. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Maine trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Maine community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Maine colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Bowdoinham ME can carry out a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
A possibility that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Bowdoinham ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Bowdoinham ME area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Bowdoinham ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Bowdoinham ME students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Bowdoinham ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Bowdoinham ME electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Bowdoinham home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bowdoinham ME, check that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Train To Be Electrician Bowdoinham Maine
Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Train To Be Electrician and wanting more information on the topic How To Become An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Bowdoinham ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Bowdoinham, Maine
Bowdoinham is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,889 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town is located on the west side of Merrymeeting Bay.
Fort Richmond was built upriver in 1719, protecting the area and encouraging British settlement. About 1720, the mouth of the Cathance River was first settled by Captain Gyles Watkins. But during Dummer's War, in the summer of 1723 all buildings in the region were burned and cattle killed by the Norridgewocks and their 250 Indian allies from New France. The Kennebec River region was abandoned. When Gov. William Dummer's Treaty of 1725 brought peace, it was resettled about 1730 by Abraham and Jonas Preble from York.[5]
Litigation from two conflicting claims, however, slowed the town's development. On July 3, 1637, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the lord proprietor of Maine, had granted this part of New Somersetshire to Sir Richard Edgcumbe of Mount Edgcumbe House, situated at Cremyll in Cornwall, England. But the Kennebec Company conveyed it in 1752 to William Bowdoin of Boston, older brother of James Bowdoin. The contested ownership went to court, whereupon Bowdoin won because Edgcumbe's grant was found obsolete and indefinite.[6] On September 18, 1762, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated it as Bowdoinham, named for William Bowdoin. It originally included Richmond, set off in 1823, and portions of Topsham and the Plantation of West Bowdoinham, set off in 1788 as Bowdoin.[7]
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