Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Solon ME area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Solon ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Solon ME students secure apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction 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 electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Solon ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>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 working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Solon ME electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Solon residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Solon ME, check that the schools you are considering offer 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 protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Solon ME?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Solon ME area.<\/p>\n
Solon, Maine<\/h3>
The first known inhabitants were the Abenaki Indians, whom European settlers encountered in the early 1600s. There are petroglyphs that have been said[by whom?] to be 5,000 years old or more, but more than likely came about after 1620.[citation needed]General Benedict Arnold and his troops camped below Caratunk Falls on October 7, 1775, before carrying their boats around them on the way up the Kennebec River to the Battle of Quebec. Originally called T1 R2 EKR, the plantation was known as Spauldingtown after Thomas Spaulding, a grantee. It was settled in 1782 by William Hilton from Wiscasset, who purchased 500 acres (2.0\u00a0km2). On February 23, 1809, it was incorporated as Solon, named after Solon, a statesman and poet of Ancient Greece.[4]<\/p>
Agriculture was the principal occupation of the inhabitants. The surface of the town is uneven, the underlying rock is slate, but the sandy and occasionally gravelly loam produced good crops of hay and grain. Solon village was established at Fall Brook, its water power used to operate mills. By 1859, when the population was 1,419, there were two sawmills, a gristmill, a shovel handle factory, two fulling and two carding machines, and two blacksmiths.[4] By 1886, the town's industries included a carriage manufacturer and a harness maker.[5]<\/p>
Solon is the gateway to the Old Canada Road (U. S. Route 201), which from 1820 until 1860 served as the primary link between Lower Canada and Maine. The byway follows the Kennebec River valley through various villages and into the forests near the Canada\u2013US border.[6]<\/p><\/div>\n