How to Choose the Right Electrician Training School near Kittery Point Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Kittery Point ME. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Kittery Point ME. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are short explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Maine technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Maine community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Maine institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Kittery Point ME can perform a wide range of services, 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 usually about four to five years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Kittery Point ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Kittery Point ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed 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 final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Kittery Point ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Kittery Point ME graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Kittery Point ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Kittery Point ME electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Kittery Point residence. Take note 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 desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kittery Point ME, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
How Do I Become An Electrician Kittery Point Maine
Picking the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Do I Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Schools. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Kittery Point ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Kittery Point, Maine
Kittery Point is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Kittery, York County, Maine, United States. First settled in 1623, Kittery Point traces its history to the first seafarers who colonized the shore of what became Massachusetts Bay Colony and later the State of Maine. Located beside the Atlantic Ocean, it is home to Fort McClary State Historic Site, and Fort Foster Park on Gerrish Island. Cutts Island is home to Seapoint Beach and the Brave Boat Harbor Division of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.
Settled as early as 1623, the southern part of Kittery was once called Champernowne's after Sir Francis Champernowne, a prominent merchant adventurer and cousin of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the prime mover behind settlement north of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.[2] Nicholas Shapleigh built the first house in the area, and Edward Godfrey established a trading post in 1632. Early professions included fishermen, hunters and trappers. Others harvested the region's abundant timber, which was shipped to England or the West Indies. The town of Kittery was incorporated in 1652 when Maine became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The Pepperrells were a distinguished Kittery Point family who established fisheries to supply the London market. William Pepperrell Sr. had arrived from Devonshire as a lowly fisherman's apprentice at the Isles of Shoals in New Hampshire. He went on to build a mercantile empire, which his son Sir William Pepperrell inherited and expanded. Sir William became the first baronet in New England for commanding a militia which defeated the French in 1745 at the Siege of Louisbourg. His gambrel mansion of 1733 remains a landmark at Pepperrell Cove on the Piscataqua River. In 1760, his widow built the Lady Pepperrell House, a noted Georgian building formerly owned by Historic New England.[3]
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