How to Become an Electrician in Bridgton Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Bridgton ME. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within driving range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Bridgton ME
There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Bridgton ME. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Maine colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Bridgton ME can undertake a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Bridgton ME
An option that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Bridgton ME are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Bridgton ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 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 chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Bridgton ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. 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 finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Bridgton ME grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Bridgton ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Bridgton ME electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Bridgton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. 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 sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Bridgton ME, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Bridgton ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Bridgton ME area.
Bridgton, Maine
Bridgton is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,210 at the 2010 census.[4] A resort area in Maine's Lakes Region, Bridgton is home to Bridgton Academy, a private preparatory school, and the Four on the Fourth Road Race.
The undeveloped land was first called Pondicherry. It was granted in 1768 by the Massachusetts General Court to Moody Bridges and a group of proprietors. Settlement began in 1770 at what is now North Bridgton, where a tavern was built. The community was organized in 1779 as Bridgetown Plantation, named after Moody Bridges, and then incorporated on February 7, 1794 as Bridgton.[5]
Stevens Brook is only a mile and a half long, but it provided water power for 12 mill sites. It developed as an industrial center, with sawmills, gristmills, woolen textile mills, a tannery, shoe factory and brick manufacturer. Later, a corn and vegetable packing plant was built, in addition to a foundry, machine shop, shovel handle factory, sash and blind factory, and a coffin shop. Population increased when goods manufactured by water power could be transported to outside markets on the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which opened to Portland in 1832.[6] By the mid-19th century, the town contained about 3,000 inhabitants. When the Portland and Ogdensburg Railway bypassed Bridgton, the town built the 2-foot-gauge (610 mm) Bridgton and Saco River Railroad link to the national rail network in 1883.[7] Summer vacationers arrived by rail and steamboat until automobile tourists began arriving after designation of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway in 1919 (identified as U.S. Route 302 since 1935).[8] The convenience of highway travel caused abandonment of the canal steamboats in 1932 and the narrow-gauge railroad in 1941. Bridgton remains a popular resort area, with many children's summer camps located along the shores of the beautiful lakes and Shawnee Peak Ski Area, a ski resort, located in the western part of town.
Find the Right Electrician Trade School near Bridgton ME
Picking the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Bridgton ME.
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