How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Cumberland Foreside Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Cumberland Foreside ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Cumberland Foreside ME. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Cumberland Foreside ME can carry out a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving costs from Cumberland Foreside ME are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Cumberland Foreside ME area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Cumberland Foreside ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Cumberland Foreside ME grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Cumberland Foreside ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local 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 using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Cumberland Foreside ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Cumberland Foreside residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Cumberland Foreside ME, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
How To Learn To Be An Electrician Cumberland Foreside Maine
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How To Learn To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Education. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Cumberland Foreside ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Cumberland, Maine
Cumberland is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,211 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. Cumberland is one of the wealthiest municipalities in the state.[4]
Cumberland, Maine (also known as Cumberland Center), was once part of North Yarmouth, but in 1821, it was incorporated as its own town. The town was officially named by Ephraim Sturdivant when the new town government elected him to do the task.
The Cumberland Fair, one of the state's larger agricultural fairs, has been held yearly in Cumberland at the end of September since 1868. This Portland suburb has a rich farming history, but only a small number of working farms remain, such as Sweetser's Apple Barrel & Orchards, Spring Brook Farms, and Double T Orchards. Chebeague Island, long a part of Cumberland, formed its own town in 2007.
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