Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Essex MA 01929

How to Become an Electrician in Essex Massachusetts

Essex MA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Essex MA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located several that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Essex MA

Essex MA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Essex MA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Massachusetts trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Massachusetts junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Massachusetts institutions, 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 more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Essex MA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Essex MA can carry out a wide range of duties, including installing, replacing and testing 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 become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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 trade school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Essex MA

attending electrician school online in Essex MA An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling costs from Essex MA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Essex MA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Essex MA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Essex MA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may result in 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 a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Essex MA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Essex MA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Essex MA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Essex home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Essex MA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, 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, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Essex MA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Essex MA area.

Essex, Massachusetts

Essex was incorporated as a town in 1819. It was previously a part of the town of Ipswich and was then called Chebacco Parish. The first European settlers arrived in 1634. At that time, the land formed part of an area inhabited by Native Americans of the Agawam tribe. The name Chebacco is Agawam in origin and refers to a large lake whose waters extend into neighboring Hamilton. Conomo Point, the easternmost part of the town, is named for the Sagamore or Chief of the Agawams, Masconomo, the leader of the tribe in the late 17th century. Early on, Chebacco Parish lobbied for status as an independent town, asking for permission to build a meeting house. In colonial times, the existence of a meeting house in a settlement conferred de facto autonomy, so Chebacco Parish was denied permission to build such a structure. Popular history tells that one written dictate was issued stating that "no man shall raise a meeting house", so the residents of the settlement interpreted it as to mean that women would be allowed to do so. It is reported that a local woman, Madam Varney, assembled the town's women and construction of a meeting house was carried out by them while the men looked on. Jeremiah Shepard was a minister at the church in Chebacco Parish from 1678 to 1680. He was succeeded by John Wise, who was pastor of Chebacco Parish from 1680 to his death in 1725.[citation needed]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.9 square miles (41.3 km2), of which 14.0 square miles (36.2 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.1 km2), or 12.41%, is water.[2] The town does not have any direct access to Ipswich Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, with Essex Bay providing access through the northeast corner of town (the eastern half of the bay lies within Ipswich and Gloucester, with all of the outlet nominally belonging to Gloucester). The central part of Essex lies on marsh land that surrounds the Essex River. Essex River feeds Essex Bay, along with Castle Neck River (which provides most of the town's border with Ipswich) and several creeks, including Walker Creek, Hardys Creek and Soginese Creek. The land that makes up the limits of the town is close to sea level, with a few low hills dotting the landscape. Chebacco Lake and the surrounding wetlands make up most of the southwestern part of the town. Essex's population has increased at a sustainable rate over the last quarter century, so it still maintains a certain rural quality with abundant forested areas, wetlands and open spaces. There are several protected areas within town, including the Allyn-Cox Reservation, a portion of Crane Wildlife Refuge, the Stavros Reservation and the state Wildlife Management Area. The Crane Wildlife Refuge covers several of the islands in Essex Bay, including Choate Island.

Essex is bordered by Hamilton to the west, Manchester-by-the-Sea to the south, Gloucester to the east, and Ipswich to the north. Essex is located 11 miles (18 km) northeast of Salem and 33 miles (53 km) northeast of Boston. Though not accessible directly by a major highway, Route 128 clips the corner of town, with exits located in neighboring Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester. Route 133 passes from northwest to southeast through town, and the eastern end of Route 22 is at Route 133 in the center of town. The Ipswich Essex Explorer bus provides weekend service during the summer connecting with the MBTA Commuter Rail at Ipswich along the Newburyport/Rockport Line, as well as providing service to Crane Beach and other nearby attractions. The Rockport portion of the commuter rail line passes through neighboring Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester.

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Enroll in the Right Electrical Tech School near Essex MA

Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Essex MA.