How to Select the Best Electrician Training School near Vassalboro Maine
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Vassalboro ME. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple approaches to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Vassalboro ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Maine colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Vassalboro ME can carry out a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge 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 vary by state and may be acquired in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Vassalboro ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Vassalboro ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned 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 final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Vassalboro ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering 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 might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Vassalboro ME graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Vassalboro ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area 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 using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Vassalboro ME electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Vassalboro residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive 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 see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Vassalboro ME, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
How Long Does It Take To Become An Electrician Vassalboro Maine
Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long Does It Take To Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Schools To Become An Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Vassalboro ME.
More Electric Locations in Maine
Vassalboro, Maine
Vassalboro (originally Vassalborough) is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,340 at the 2010 census. Vassalboro includes the villages of Riverside, Getchell's Corner, North Vassalboro, and East Vassalboro, home to the town library and sports field. Vassalboro is included in the Augusta, Maine, micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
The town of Vassalboro was named for one of the proprietors of the Maine settlement, William Vassal (or Vassall), a descendant of one of the original patentees (and later deputy) of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and a wealthy merchant who eventually became a controversial Loyalist.[4] Other historians believe the town derives its name from the original Massachusetts proprietor William Vassal himself, who clashed with John Winthrop so frequently that he removed himself to the town of Scituate,[5] where he soon found himself embroiled in ecclesiastical controversy once again,[6] prompting his move after a decade to Barbados, where he died.[7]
On March 2, 1770, William Vassall, one of Vassalboro's early proprietors, conveyed to his niece Mary Prescott of Nova Scotia Lot Number 5 in Vassalboro, one of the so-called "Proprietor's Lots" reserved for the town's founders.[8] Niece Prescott sold the lot nine months later to a citizen of Hallowell.[9]
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