How to Choose the Best Electrician Trade School near Naples Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Naples ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found a few that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Naples ME. You may enroll in 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 options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Maine institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Naples ME can perform a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Naples ME are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Naples ME region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Naples ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs 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 signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also mean that the instructors 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 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 confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Naples ME grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Naples ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Naples ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Naples home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers 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 are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Naples ME, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Journeyman Electrician Classes Naples Maine
Choosing the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Journeyman Electrician Classes and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Contractor Training Program. But as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Naples ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Naples, Maine
Naples is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,872 at the 2010 census,[5] and it is home to part of Sebago Lake State Park. Naples is a resort area.
The area was settled in 1790. Farming was limited by the soil, which consisted of gravelly loam, its surface strewn with glacial erratic boulders. The uplands, however, provided good grazing for livestock, and hay became the principal crop.[6]
Named for Naples, Italy,[7] the town was incorporated on March 4, 1834,[8] from parts of Otisfield, Harrison, Raymond and Bridgton. Between 1845 and 1856, it annexed more land from Sebago, Otisfield and Bridgton. The Songo Lock, completed two years before town incorporation, linked Long Lake and Brandy Pond with Sebago Lake, allowing passage of boats from Harrison to Portland through the Cumberland and Oxford Canal in Standish. A canning factory and cooperage were established at Naples village. The community also produced carriages, men's and boy's clothing, boots and shoes.[9]
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