How to Become an Electrician in Burnham Maine
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Burnham ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For example, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Burnham ME
There are multiple options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Burnham ME. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Maine trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Maine community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Burnham ME can carry out a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Burnham ME
An option that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Burnham ME are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Burnham ME area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about 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 while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire 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 sure that the Burnham ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified 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 produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Burnham ME graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along 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 contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Burnham ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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 specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Burnham ME electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Burnham residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger 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 students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn 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 handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Burnham ME, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Burnham ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Burnham ME area.
Burnham, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.22 square miles (106.76 km2), of which, 38.89 square miles (100.72 km2) of it is land and 2.33 square miles (6.03 km2) is water, chiefly Unity Pond. The town is drained by Twentyfive Mile Stream and the Sebasticook River.[1]
Burnham is crossed by Maine State Route 100 and Interstate 95 (Maine). The town is bordered by Pittsfield on the north, Detroit on the northeast, Troy on the east, Unity and Unity Township on the south and Clinton on the west.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,164 people, 502 households, and 332 families residing in the town. The population density was 29.9 inhabitants per square mile (11.5/km2). There were 714 housing units at an average density of 18.4 per square mile (7.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.
Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near Burnham ME
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Burnham ME.
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