Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Patten ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Patten ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing 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 could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified 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 directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Patten ME grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>A large number of 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 Patten ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Patten ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Patten home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Patten ME, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Patten ME?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Patten ME area.<\/p>\n
Patten, Maine<\/h3>
The town was named for Amos Patten,[5][6] a resident of Bangor, Maine, who about 1828 purchased Township No. 4, Range 6, as it was then designated, for its vast timber supply.[7][8] In 1829 Amos Patten hired Ira Fish and Eli Kellogg to survey the land.[8] The surveyors soon asked permission to establish their homes in Patten. The town was incorporated on April 16, 1841 and given its present name at that time.[9] By 1850 the population numbered 470, reaching 704 in 1870, and 716 residents in 1880.[9] The town's infrastructure gradually appeared. In March, 1841 the Congregational Church was organized.[10] Within a few years, citizens began agitating for local education. A bill to appoint Trustees of the Patten Academy passed the Maine legislature and was signed by the governor in 1847.[11] The Patten Academy opened its doors with 61 students in September, 1848, and educated its residents for more than a century.\n<\/p>
As noted below, Patten is situated in close proximity to several major rivers and streams. This abundant water power, however, did not favor the development of large-scale industry, although small mills and workshops utilized its power during most of the town's history.\n<\/p>
Two factors explain Patten's comparatively early development, and its position as the major town of the Penobscot panhandle and southwestern Aroostook in the nineteenth century. First, it is the first town beyond the Mount Katahdin range, giving it access to the upper East Branch and lower Allagash River basins, which were leading lumbering areas. Second, it has the best agricultural land in the proximity of those basins. As a result, lumbering stimulated very early development of commerce and farming; and the town early gained the status as the distribution center and cultural nexus of all the towns west of Houlton and north of Lincoln. It is situated at the intersection of Maine Rte. 11 and Maine State Route 159 (https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maine_State_Route_159).\n<\/p><\/div>\n