How to Become an Electrician in Pembroke Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Pembroke ME. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found a few that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that need to 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 influence your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Pembroke ME
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Pembroke ME. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Maine technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two 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 prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Pembroke ME can undertake a vast array of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Pembroke ME
An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Pembroke 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 many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Pembroke ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Pembroke ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, 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 Pembroke ME grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Pembroke ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Pembroke ME electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Pembroke residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Pembroke ME, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask 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 Pembroke ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Pembroke ME area.
Pembroke, Maine
Called Pennamaquan by the Passamaquoddy Indians, the area was settled about 1774 as part of Dennysville.[5] It was set off and incorporated on February 4, 1832 by the legislature, which named it after Pembroke in Wales, a community with a history of wooden shipbuilding stretching back to the Middle Ages. With one of the finest harbors in Maine, Pembroke too became a shipbuilding center. Vessels were constructed here as early as 1825. By 1859, when the population was 1,712, there were seven shipyards operating. Most schooners constructed here were used either by the coasting trade or fisheries.[6]
Pembroke also had a stone factory, three sawmills, one gristmill, four shingle mills and four lath machines. Near the head of tide stood the Pembroke Iron Company, established in 1832 and by 1856 producing almost 5,000 tons of iron spikes, rivets and nails a year. Another occupation was agriculture.[6] In 1880, the town's population was 2,324.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.26 square miles (91.32 km2), of which, 27.36 square miles (70.86 km2) of it is land and 7.90 square miles (20.46 km2) is water.[1] Drained by the Pennamaquan River, Pembroke is on Cobscook Bay.
Pick the Ideal Electrician Vocational School near Pembroke ME
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin 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 looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should 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 in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Pembroke ME.
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