What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Andover ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Andover ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Andover ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Andover ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment 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, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Andover ME electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Andover home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Andover ME, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain 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.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Andover ME?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Andover ME area.<\/p>\n
Andover, Maine<\/h3>
Andover is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 821 at the 2010 census. Set among mountains and crossed by the Appalachian Trail, Andover is home to the Andover Earth Station and Lovejoy Covered Bridge.<\/p>
The land which became known as Andover was originally purchased in 1788 by a group of proprietors mostly from Andover, Massachusetts. The original proprietors were Thomas Poor of Methuen, Massachusetts; Jonathan Abbot, Benjamin Poor, Ebenezer Adams, Ingalls Bragg, Theodore Stevens, Samuel Farnum, Philip Abbott, Samuel Johnson, Abiel Lovejoy, and Eben Poor, Jr. all of Andover, Massachusetts; Joseph Frye of Fryeburg, Maine; and John York, Ezekiel Merrill, and Josiah Bean of Bethel, Maine. The town was first settled in 1789 by Ezekiel Merrill and his family who were transported there from Bethel, Maine in canoes managed by members of the local Pequawket tribe. The first saw-mill was built on the East Branch of the Ellis River by Col. Thomas Poor in 1791 and was used to provide the lumber for the still standing Merrill-Poor House.[4]<\/p>
Early occupations included agriculture and lumbering. As the town developed, factories made doors, sash, blinds, starch, cheese, boots and shoes, edge-tools, carriages and harness. It also had a tannery. Located on an intervale surrounded by mountains, Andover was noted for \"its grand and beautiful scenery,\" with streams abounding in trout. After the Civil War, the town became a popular destination for sportsmen, especially fishermen attracted by the nearby Richardson Lakes. A hotel was built to accommodate the influx of tourists.[6]<\/p><\/div>\n