How to Become an Electrician in Rangeley Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Rangeley ME. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only things that need to 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 final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Rangeley ME
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Rangeley ME. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Maine technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster 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 providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Maine institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Rangeley ME can undertake a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three 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 trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online in Rangeley ME
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Rangeley ME are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Rangeley ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Rangeley ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can mean 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 a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Rangeley ME students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most 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. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Rangeley ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment 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, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Rangeley ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Rangeley home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Rangeley ME, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask 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 Rangeley ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Rangeley ME area.
Rangeley, Maine
Rangeley is a town in Franklin County, Maine, USA. The population was 1,168 at the 2010 census. Rangeley is the center of the Rangeley Lakes Region, a resort area. The town includes the villages of Oquossoc, Haines Landing and South Rangeley.
It is named after an Englishman, Squire James Rangeley, who inherited a 31,000-acre (130 km2) tract bought from Massachusetts in 1796 by his father. He arrived in 1825 to establish an estate based on the English system of landlord and tenants, also giving extensive land to settlers. He built a sawmill, a gristmill, a two-story mansion, and a ten-mile (16 km) road to connect his property with the rest of the world.[4] Rangeley resided here for 15 years, then sold the property and moved to Portland.[5]
Farms produced hay, wheat, oats, barley and potatoes, with cattle grazing the hills. Logging became a principal industry, with booms of logs towed by steamboat across the Rangeley lakes, then guided down rivers in log drives. On March 29, 1855, the town of Rangeley was set off and incorporated from a portion of Rangeley Plantation. By 1870, the population was 313. In 1886, it had twenty dwellings, two hotels, two stores and a post office. Industries included a carriage shop, two blacksmith shops, a boat builder's shop, a sawmill and a shoe shop.[6]
Choose the Right Electrical Technical School near Rangeley ME
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Rangeley ME.
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