Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Sturbridge MA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Sturbridge MA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative 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 employ 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Sturbridge MA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Sturbridge MA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Sturbridge MA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Sturbridge home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Sturbridge MA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, 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 Sturbridge MA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Sturbridge MA area.<\/p>\n
Sturbridge, Massachusetts<\/h3>
Sturbridge was first settled in 1729 by settlers from Medfield, and was officially incorporated in 1738.[2] New Medfield and Dummer (after Governor William Dummer) were considered as town names before the town was named after Stourbridge, England.[3]<\/p>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.0 square miles (101\u00a0km2), of which 37.4 square miles (97\u00a0km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (4\u00a0km2), or 3.95%, is water. Sturbridge is bordered by Charlton and Southbridge to the east, Union, Connecticut and Woodstock, Connecticut to the south, Brimfield and Holland to the west, and Brookfield and East Brookfield to the north. Sturbridge lies about 29 miles (47\u00a0km) east of Springfield, 16 miles (25.7\u00a0km) southwest of Worcester, and 55 miles (88.5\u00a0km) west of Boston.\n<\/p>
U.S. Route 20 runs through Sturbridge, and the junction of Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) and Interstate 84 is located there. The Wilbur Cross Highway (Connecticut Route 15) formerly ended in Sturbridge; locals sometimes call Haynes Street and portions of Mashapaug Road \"Old Route 15\". Haynes Street ends at Main Street (Massachusetts Route 131), which connects Sturbridge Center with Southbridge; on the west side of town, Massachusetts Route 148 connects Fiskdale with Brookfield. On August 18, 1955 gale-force winds and torrential downpour from Hurricane Diane created floodwaters that broke dams in surrounding towns and flooded the village.\n<\/p><\/div>\n