How to Become an Electrician in West Paris Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near West Paris ME. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near West Paris ME
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near West Paris ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain 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 mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maine technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Maine colleges, but are less popular at four 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 carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in West Paris ME can undertake a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in West Paris ME
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving costs from West Paris ME are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the West Paris ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications 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 degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn 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 West Paris ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers 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 alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist West Paris ME graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with West Paris ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local West Paris ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your West Paris residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction 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 see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near West Paris ME, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near West Paris ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the West Paris ME area.
West Paris, Maine
It began as part of Paris, granted by the Massachusetts General Court in 1771 to Captain Joshua Fuller and his company of 64 soldiers as payment for their service to the colony. First settled in 1779, the land was considered superior for pasturage and hay crops, and orchards were large and productive.[4]Mills were built along the Little Androscoggin River. The Paris Manufacturing Company, which was started modestly by Henry Franklin Morton in 1861 at West Sumner, grew into an important manufacturer. Near the Grand Trunk Railway depot in West Paris, it built a factory to make products including sleds, skis, wagons, step ladders, wheelbarrows, ironing boards, children's rolltop desks and other furniture.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.40 square miles (63.20 km2), of which, 24.24 square miles (62.78 km2) of it is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km2) is water.[1] West Paris is drained by the Little Androscoggin River.
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, West Paris has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[7]
Find the Right Electrician Tech School near West Paris ME
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. 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 proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in West Paris ME.
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