How to Become an Electrician in Camden Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Camden ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Camden ME
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Camden ME. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Maine vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Maine institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Camden ME can undertake a wide range of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of competency:
- 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 important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs in Camden ME
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Camden ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Camden ME area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Camden ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also mean that the teachers 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 may 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Camden ME graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together 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 electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Camden ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment 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 working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Camden ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Camden residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Camden ME, check that the schools you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Camden ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Camden ME area.
Camden, Maine
Camden is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,850 at the 2010 census. The population of the town more than triples during the summer months, due to tourists and summer residents. Camden is a famous summer colony in the Mid-Coast region of Maine. Similar to Bar Harbor, Nantucket and North Haven, Camden is well known for its summer community of wealthy Northeasterners, mostly from Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
Penobscot Abenaki Indians called the area Megunticook, meaning "great swells of the sea", a reference to the silhouette of the Camden Hills (more visibly seen on a bright night). Part of the Waldo Patent, it remained wilderness until after the French and Indian War. It was first settled about 1771–1772 by James Richards, who built a home at the mouth of the Megunticook River. Others soon followed, some making modest attempts to farm the broken and often mountainous terrain. The first home in the area was the Conway House, a Cape Cod style home built in 1770. In 1962, it was purchased and renovated into a history museum.[4]
When Castine was held by the British in 1779, Camden became a rendezvous point and encampment for the Americans, who were commanded by Major George Ulmer. During a raid, the British burned a sawmill. On February 17, 1791, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated Megunticook Plantation as Camden, named after Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, a member of the British Parliament and proponent of civil liberties. During the War of 1812, a battery was built atop Mount Battie near the village. It had both a 12- and 18-pounder gun, but no gunner qualified to operate them. Nevertheless, the fort's appearance of readiness kept the British at bay.[5]
Select the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Camden ME
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Camden ME.
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