How to Become an Electrician in Greenville Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Greenville ME. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Greenville ME
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Greenville ME. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Maine trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Maine community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying 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 preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Greenville ME can carry out a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Greenville ME
An alternative that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Greenville ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Greenville 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 tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Greenville ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools 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 might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Greenville ME graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Greenville ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Greenville ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Greenville ME, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Greenville ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Greenville ME area.
Greenville, Maine
Greenville is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,646 at the 2010 census. The town is centered on the lower end of Moosehead Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state. Greenville is the historic gateway to the north country and a center for outdoor recreation in the area. Greenville High School, with 89 students, was ranked as the third best high school in Maine and one of the top 1,000 in the US in 2010.[4]
First called T9 R10 NWP (or Township 9, Range 10, North of the Waldo Patent), the land was granted about 1812 by the Massachusetts General Court to Thornton Academy in Saco. In 1824, Nathaniel Haskell of Westbrook bought the Thornton Academy Grant. With Oliver Young and John Smith, he began clearing trees that summer for farming near Wilson Pond, where the Wilson Stream would provide water power for mills.[5]
In 1827, Haskell completed a house, and his family joined him. A sawmill was built on Wilson Stream in 1829, with a gristmill added the following year. In 1835, Henry Gower began clearing land beside Moosehead Lake for what would develop into Greenville village. There he erected the first hotel, a two-story building called The Seboomook House, and the first store. On February 6, 1836, Greenville was incorporated from Haskell Plantation, and named for its green forests. By 1846, Greenville village included two houses, two blacksmith shops and a schoolhouse. On August 10, 1848, the town annexed land from Wilson, the remainder of which was distributed to Shirley and Elliotsville.[5]
Pick the Right Electrical Trade School near Greenville ME
Picking the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Greenville ME.
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