Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Acton ME 04001

How to Become an Electrician in Acton Maine

Acton ME electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Acton ME. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to consider. For instance, many students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover 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 educational options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Acton ME

Acton ME electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Acton ME. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Acton ME electricians working on power lines Electricians in Acton ME can perform a multitude of services, such as 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 be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Acton ME

attending electrician school online in Acton ME An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation 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 can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Acton ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Acton ME electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Acton ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Acton ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Acton ME students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Acton ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Acton ME electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Acton home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher 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 monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Acton ME, check that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Acton ME?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Acton ME area.

Acton, Maine

Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,447 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every late summer. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

It was part of the extensive Ossipee Tract sold on November 28, 1668, by Newichawannock Chief Captain Sunday (or Wesumbe) to Francis Small, a trader from Kittery. Small sold a half interest in the tract to Major Nicholas Shapleigh of Eliot. In 1770, heirs found the unrecorded deed and divided the land, with Shapleigh's descendants awarded one half of Limerick and all of Parsonsfield and Shapleigh. First called Hubbardstown Plantation, Shapleigh was in 1785 incorporated and named in honor of Nicholas Shapleigh. Its western portion was set off and incorporated on March 6, 1830, as Acton, named after Acton, England.[4]

The town was first settled at Acton village in 1776 by Benjamin Kimens, Clement Steele and John York, all from York. In 1779, Joseph Parsons built a gristmill on the Salmon Falls River near Wakefield, New Hampshire. Other mills followed at Acton's various water power sites, including sawmills, gristmills, a hemp mill, a carding mill, a felt mill, a tannery and a shoe factory. In 1877, a vein of silver was discovered near Goding Creek and the Lebanon border. Prospectors dug mines during the 1880s, after which the enterprise declined.[5]

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Acton ME

Choosing the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary 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. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Acton ME.