How to Become an Electrician in Livermore Maine
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Livermore ME. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located a few that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Livermore ME
There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Livermore ME. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Maine trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Maine institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Livermore ME can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specialties, such as 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Livermore ME
An option that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving costs from Livermore ME are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Livermore ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Livermore ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Livermore ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Livermore ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Livermore ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Livermore home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to 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 programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Livermore ME, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Livermore ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Livermore ME area.
Livermore, Maine
Livermore is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. Formerly in Oxford County, Maine. The population was 2,095 at the 2010 United States Census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area. High schools students from Livermore attend Spruce Mountain High School in neighboring Livermore Falls. Livermore is known for The Norlands, the Washburn family home.
Livermore was incorporated in 1795, the north- western town of the Androscoggin County. In 1880, the population was 1,262. In 2010, the population was 2,095. Livermore had originally been a grant from the state of Massachusetts to certain people for services in an expedition, which was against Port Royal.[4] The town was named for Deacon Elijah Livermore, a pioneer settler born in Waltham, Mass. The first two settlers of Livermore are known to be Deacon Ellijah Livermore and Major Thomas Fish. Major Thomas Fish had originally been from Worcester County, Oxford, Massachusetts. Major Thomas Fish went to war in 1775, and he was a Major in the Continental Army. Major Thomas Fish had died on December 20, 1781 in Livermore, Maine. Deacon Ellijah Livermore had arrived in 1779, building the first mill near Long Pond in 1782.[5] In 1795 as Livermore familiarized, a county line was established based on the Androscoggin River. The Androscoggin River divides East Livermore and Leeds on the east and south- east. On the south of the river is Turner, on the west side is Canton and Hartford, and on the north side is Jay and Canton. From 1760 to 1805, Livermore had been in Cumberland and Lincoln Counties. In 1805, the town became part of Oxford County. By the act of East Livermore, Livermore was separated from Oxford County and became part of the Kennebec County. On March 1, 1844, the town of East Livermore had been incorporated in the Kennebec County, but soon had set off to created the Androscoggin County. The county line had determined the east of the river as the Kennebec County, and the west part of the Oxford County. On March 31, 1854, the towns of Turner and Livermore officially set off from Oxford County to the Androscoggin County.
Early 19th Century in Livermore, Maine had mostly consisted of farmland which provided products such as dairy to numerous markets around the New England area. As the 19th Century progressed, Livermore had quickly advanced New England's lifestyle through their farmland and involvement to the mills. As the industrial revolution developed, this small town in Maine had progressed important roles such as the paper mills, logging, and lumber. Livermore is well known for its long and round ponds, which are located in the northern part of town.
Find the Right Electrician Trade School near Livermore ME
Choosing the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are evaluating 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 needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Livermore ME.
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