Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Cambridge ME 04923

How to Become an Electrician in Cambridge Maine

Cambridge ME electrician inspecting circuit panelThe first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Cambridge ME. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Cambridge ME

Cambridge ME electrician re-wiring power outletThere are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Cambridge ME. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter 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, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Cambridge ME electricians working on power linesElectricians in Cambridge ME can undertake a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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 tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Cambridge ME

attending electrician school online in Cambridge MEAn option that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely 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 can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Cambridge ME are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Cambridge ME electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Cambridge ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Cambridge ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 finish the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Cambridge ME grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Cambridge ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Cambridge ME electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Cambridge home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to 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 evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Cambridge ME, check that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Cambridge ME?

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

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge (informally Cambridge University)[note 1] is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a Royal Charter by King Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's fourth-oldest surviving university.[8] The university grew out of an association of scholars who left the University of Oxford after a dispute with the townspeople.[9] The two medieval universities share many common features and are often referred to jointly as "Oxbridge". The history and influence of the University of Cambridge has made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.[10]

Cambridge is formed from a variety of institutions which include 31 constituent Colleges and over 100 academic departments organised into six schools. Cambridge University Press, a department of the university, is the world's oldest publishing house and the second-largest university press in the world. The university also operates eight cultural and scientific museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, as well as a botanic garden. Cambridge's libraries hold a total of around 15 million books, eight million of which are in Cambridge University Library, a legal deposit library.

In the fiscal year ending 31 July 2016, the university had a total income of £1.64 billion, of which £462 million was from research grants and contracts.[2] The central university and colleges have a combined endowment of around £6.3 billion, the largest of any university outside the United States.[11] The university is closely linked with the development of the high-tech business cluster known as "Silicon Fen". It is a member of numerous associations and forms part of the "golden triangle" of leading English universities and Cambridge University Health Partners, an academic health science centre.

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Choose the Right Electrician Trade School near Cambridge ME

Picking the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Cambridge ME.

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