How to Become an Electrician in Levant Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Levant ME. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Levant ME
There are three general options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Levant ME. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Maine institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Levant ME can carry out a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online in Levant ME
An option that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Levant ME are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical 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 certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Levant ME region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Levant ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Levant ME grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Levant ME area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school 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, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Levant ME electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Levant home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Levant ME, check that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Levant ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Levant ME area.
Levant, Maine
Originally called "Kenduskeag Plantation", the town was founded in 1802 by Maj. Moses Hodsden who built three houses, a sawmill, a grist-mill, a store, and a blacksmith shop in what is now the village of Kenduskeag. At the time, these were likely the only framed buildings between Bangor and the Kennebec River. In 1813 the plantation became a town, and was given the name Levant, which is that part of the Middle East which borders the Mediterranean.
In 1852, the village of Kenduskeag broke away from the rest of Levant and took part of the neighboring town of Glenburn to form the present town of Kenduskeag. Prior to the break the town had 1,841 inhabitants.
In early 1824, Levant Congregational minister John Bovee Dods claimed that he was visited by a spirit, and his house subsequently became the site of poltergeist activity. Perhaps a hundred curious people were said to have visited and witnessed these events. Dods became a Universalist in 1826, and moved to nearby Union, though he continued to preach in Levant. He later moved to Massachusetts and became an early psychologist, publishing The Philosophy of Electrical Psychology in 1850, and lecturing widely. In 1856 he converted to spiritualism, and became a leading figure in that religion in New York City.[5]
Find the Ideal Electrical Technical School near Levant ME
Choosing the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Levant ME.
Other Cool Cities in Maine
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 