Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lebanon ME 04027

How to Become an Electrician in Lebanon Maine

Lebanon ME electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Lebanon ME. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many points to examine. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Lebanon ME

Lebanon ME electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lebanon ME. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Maine technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Maine institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Lebanon ME electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lebanon ME can perform a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Lebanon ME

attending electrician school online in Lebanon ME An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Lebanon ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Lebanon ME electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lebanon ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire 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 Lebanon ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lebanon ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Lebanon ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lebanon ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lebanon home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lebanon ME, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lebanon ME?

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

Lebanon, Maine

Lebanon is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,031 at the 2010 census. Lebanon includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon and East Lebanon. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Lebanon Airport is home to Skydive New England.

It was called Towwoh by the Newichawannock Abenaki tribe, whose main village was further down the Salmon Falls River. On April 20, 1733, the Massachusetts General Court granted Towwoh Plantation to 60 colonists, who first settled it in 1743. The township was incorporated on June 17, 1767, renamed Lebanon after the biblical land of Lebanon. It was Maine's 23rd town. Lebanon annexed unincorporated land in 1785, and some from Sanford in 1787. It swapped land with Shapleigh, giving some in 1793, then annexing some in 1825.[4]

Farmers found the surface of the town relatively level in the southeast, with extensive pine plains in the northwest. The chief crop would be hay. At the Salmon Falls River and the Little River were water power sites for mills. Lebanon had four sawmills, three gristmills, a shingle mill, a wool carding mill and a tannery. In 1850, Oren B. Cheney founded West Lebanon Academy. Beginning in the early 1870s, the Portland and Rochester Railroad ran the length of the town's southeast side, with the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad crossing for a short distance on the western side.[5]

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Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Lebanon ME

Selecting 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 several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lebanon ME.