How to Pick the Right Electrician Tech School near South Portland Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near South Portland ME. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to consider. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified a few that are within driving range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that need to be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, 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 several ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near South Portland ME. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Maine trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in South Portland ME can perform a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 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 provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An option that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling costs from South Portland ME are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the South Portland ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the South Portland ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require 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 looking at 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 could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist South Portland ME grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with South Portland ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local South Portland ME electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your South Portland home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized instruction 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 big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn 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 in the evening or on weekends near South Portland ME, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrical Courses College South Portland Maine
Picking the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Courses College and wanting more information on the topic Electrician School Cost. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in South Portland ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of Portland and the islands of Casco Bay. Due to South Portland's close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.
Despite the name, South Portland was never part of the city of Portland, but rather part of Cape Elizabeth. It broke off in 1895. However, both Cape Elizabeth and Portland were once part of Falmouth. Cape Elizabeth, then including what later became South Portland, broke away from Falmouth in 1765. South Portland is a principal city of the Portland – South Portland – Biddeford metropolitan area.
South Portland was first settled in 1630, and it grew to become a small residential community with many farms. The village was raided by natives in Father Rale's War (1724). In 1858, the City of Portland purchased land near the Fore River for the Forest City Cemetery. On March 15, 1895, it was incorporated as a town after it broke away from Cape Elizabeth, based on a disagreement on a future source of public drinking water. Three years later South Portland became a city, destined to receive its drinking water, like Portland, from Sebago Lake, while Cape Elizabeth used wells or other local sources.
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