Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lewiston ME 04240

How to Become an Electrician in Lewiston Maine

Lewiston ME electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lewiston ME. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment 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 options that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Lewiston ME

Lewiston ME electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lewiston ME. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maine technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Maine institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Lewiston ME electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lewiston ME can carry out a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Lewiston ME

attending electrician school online in Lewiston ME An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Lewiston ME are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Lewiston ME electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lewiston ME region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain 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 Lewiston ME school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lewiston ME grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction 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 businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Lewiston ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build 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 on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lewiston ME electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lewiston home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Lewiston ME, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lewiston ME?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Lewiston ME area.

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston (English pronunciation: /ˈluːɪstən/, French pronunciation: /ˈluːɪstə/;[3] officially the City of Lewiston, Maine)[4] is the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County.[5] The city borders the coastal sideways of the Gulf of Maine and is south of Augusta, the state's capital and north of Portland, the cultural hub of Maine. It is one-half of the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly referred to as "L.A." or "L-A."[6] Lewiston exerts a significant impact upon the diversity, religious variety, commerce, education, and economic power of Maine. It is known for a relatively low cost of living, substantial access to medical care, and an extremely low violent crime rate.[7][8] While the dominant language spoken in the city is English, it is home to the largest French-speaking population in the United States (by population) while it is second to St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, in percentage of speakers.[9][10][11]

The Lewiston area traces its roots to 1669 with the early presence of the Androscoggin tribe (the namesake of the county the city resides in). In the late 18th century, the area slowly became populated by New French families and was incorporated as "Lewistown" in 1795.[12] The presence of the Androscoggin River and Lewistown Falls made the town an attractive area for manufacturing and hydro-power businesses. The rise of Boston rail and textile tycoon Benjamin Bates saw rapid economic growth rivaling that of Cambridge, Worcester, and Concord. The increase in economic stimulus prompted thousands of Quebecers to migrate causing a population boom; the populace rose from 1,801 in 1840 to 21,701 in 1890. In 1855, local preacher Oren Burbank Cheney founded the Maine State Seminary, the first coeducational university in New England and one of the first universities to admit black students before the Emancipation Proclamation. Lewistown quickly became associated with the liberal arts and was incorporated as "Lewiston" in 1864, a year before the college was chartered as Bates College.

The city is home to the only basilica in Maine, Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 15 colleges and universities, 44 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, the Androscoggin Bank Colisée, the Stephens Observatory, the Olin Arts Center, the Bates College Museum of Art (BCMoA) and two significant general hospitals: Central Maine Medical Center and Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center.

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Choose the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Lewiston ME

Choosing the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount 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 frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lewiston ME.