How to Choose the Best Electrician Trade School near Farmingdale Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Farmingdale ME. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only things 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 final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Farmingdale ME. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Maine trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Farmingdale ME can perform a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in many specialties, 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 organizations 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 provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Farmingdale ME are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Points 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. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Farmingdale ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have acquired 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 instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Farmingdale ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Farmingdale ME graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Farmingdale ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Farmingdale ME electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Farmingdale home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Farmingdale ME, check that the schools 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. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
How Long Is Electrician School Farmingdale Maine
Choosing the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long Is Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certification Online Courses. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Farmingdale ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Farmingdale, Maine
In 1852, Farmingdale incorporated as a town,[4] combining parts of South Hallowell, North Gardiner and East/West Gardiner. Many businesses existed in Farmingdale, most of them along the Kennebec River. A major business was harvesting and selling ice worldwide. The Knickerbocker Ice Company (the largest ice company in the country), and the Marshall Ice Company had ice-houses at Bowman's Point.[5] The Knickerbocker Ice Company burned in 1894 or 1895 leaving only the chimney that stood until it was demolished in 1911 to make room for the Central Maine Power Plant.[6] Other businesses on the river in Farmingdale included shipyards, brickyards, pottery, and a glue factory. Commercial growth in ensuing years centered in Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta, while Farmingdale never developed a town center to compare with those cities. Time, fires, floods and economic forces eventually removed the larger businesses. Today, Farmingdale exists largely as a strong and vibrant residential community whose residents work primarily in other cities. The distinction between the densely developed riverbanks and the open rural back-land remains. Structures that are on the National Register of Historic Places include the Peter Grant House,[7] and the Captain Nathaniel Stone House.[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.55 square miles (29.91 km2), of which, 11.24 square miles (29.11 km2) of it is land and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km2) is water.[1]
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $51,344, and the median income for a family was $56,415. Males had a median income of $49,643 versus $29,391 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,015. About 18.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 0% of those age 65 or over.
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