How to Pick the Best Electrician Training School near Houlton Maine
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Houlton ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Houlton ME. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. 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 take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Houlton ME can perform a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Houlton ME are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Houlton ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Houlton ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Houlton ME students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Houlton ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Houlton ME electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Houlton home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized 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 large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Houlton ME, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Training Courses Houlton Maine
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Training Courses and wanting more information on the topic Certified Electrician Course. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school 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 Houlton ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Houlton, Maine
Houlton is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, on the Canada–US border, located at 46°07′32″N 67°50′23″W / 46.1256°N 67.8398°W / 46.1256; -67.8398. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 6,123. It is perhaps best known as being at the northern terminus of Interstate 95 and for being the birthplace of Samantha Smith, a goodwill ambassador as a child during the Cold War. The town hosts the annual Houlton Agricultural Fair.
Houlton is the county seat for Aroostook County, and as such its nickname is the "Shire Town." The Houlton High School sports teams are named "The Shiretowners." The Meduxnekeag River flows through the heart of the town, and the border with the Canadian province of New Brunswick is 3 mi (4.8 km) east of the town's center. Houlton was the home of Ricker College which closed in 1978.[4]
The area was occupied for thousands of years by varying cultures of indigenous peoples. In historic times, these were the Algonquian-speaking Maliseet people. When Maine was part of Massachusetts, parcels of land were dealt out to schools and colleges. The area that was to become Houlton was deeded to the Academy of New Salem, Massachusetts. Thirteen men from New Salem bought the land from the Academey though only three settled there.[6]
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