Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Cambridge MA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Cambridge MA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high 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 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Cambridge MA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Cambridge MA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Cambridge MA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Cambridge residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and find out 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 reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Cambridge MA, verify 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. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Cambridge MA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Cambridge MA area.<\/p>\n
Cambridge, Massachusetts<\/h3>
Situated directly north of Boston, across the Charles River, it was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders.[4]:18<\/p>
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), two of the world's most prestigious universities, are in Cambridge,[5] as was Radcliffe College, one of the leading colleges for women in the United States until it merged with Harvard on October 1, 1999.\n<\/p>
According to the 2010 Census, the city's population was 105,162.[6] As of July\u00a02014[update], it was the fifth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell.[7] Cambridge is one of the two seats of Middlesex County, although the county government was abolished in 1997; Lowell is the other.\n<\/p><\/div>\n