Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Newport ME region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Newport ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 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 can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Newport ME graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Newport ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Newport ME electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Newport residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Newport ME, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Newport ME?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Newport ME area.<\/p>\n
Newport, Maine<\/h3>
The town was settled about 1808 as East Pond Plantation, then incorporated on June 14, 1814, as Newport. Agriculture was a principal early occupation, and industries included several sawmills, a gristmill, a foundry, cabinet shop, and a number of harness and blacksmith shops. By 1859, when the population was 1,120, Newport was an important producer of carriages \"...which, for durability and finish, [were] not excelled by any in the state.\"[5] The Maine Central Railroad connected to Newport and made it the terminus for its Dexter & Newport Railway, which opened in 1868. By 1880, the population reached 1,451, and industries included a marble, granite and slate works, and a maker of boots and shoes.[6] In 1891, the woolen mill was built, and the Aroostook Condensed Milk Company founded. The latter became the Maine Condensed Milk Company in 1894, then Borden's Condensed Milk Company in 1902.[7]<\/p>
In 1901, a large fire destroyed the Maine Central Railroad freight depot and two mills, and damaged 20 houses.[8] In 1990, two boys, aged 8 and 9, started a fire which burned half of Newport's historic downtown (three buildings more than a century old). [9]<\/p>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.97 square miles (95.75\u00a0km2), of which, 29.50 square miles (76.40\u00a0km2) of it is land and 7.47 square miles (19.35\u00a0km2) is water.[1] Situated on Sebasticook Lake, Newport is drained by Martin Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Sebasticook Lake is contained entirely in the town of Newport, and is the largest lake contained in one town in the state of Maine.[10]<\/p><\/div>\n