How to Become an Electrician in Paris Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Paris ME. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to examine. For instance, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Paris ME
There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Paris ME. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Maine vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Maine institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Paris ME can undertake a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Paris ME
An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Paris ME are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Paris ME area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Paris ME program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate 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 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 might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to train 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 directory of graduates, which may result in 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Paris ME graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Paris ME area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Paris ME electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Paris residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Paris ME, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, 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, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Paris ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Paris ME area.
Paris, Maine
Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States.[4] The population was 5,183 at the 2010 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly referred to as South Paris. The main exception is the area known as Paris Hill, which is a scenic historic district popular with tourists.
It was granted by Massachusetts on June 11, 1771 to Captain Joshua Fuller of Watertown, Massachusetts and 59 others (or their heirs) for service during the French and Indian Wars. It was the second attempt to repay the soldiers, because their first grant in New Hampshire, made on November 24, 1736 and called Township Number Four, was deemed invalid because of a prior claim by the heirs of John Mason. The land in Maine would retain the name Township Number Four.[5]
It was first settled near the center of the town in 1779 by Lemuel Jackson, John Willis and their families. Organized as Number Four Plantation, it was incorporated as Paris on June 20, 1793. At the establishment of Oxford County in 1805, Paris was designated its county seat and developed into a thriving community. It was noted for scenic beauty and excellent pasturage, including some of the state's best livestock and dairy farms. It also had many large apple orchards. The village of Paris Hill was established at an elevation of 820 feet (250 m) above sea level, with views of Mount Chocorua and Mount Washington in the White Mountains. The Paris Hill Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, has fine examples of Federal and Greek Revival architecture. The old Oxford County Jail, built of granite in 1822, was given in 1902 to the Paris Hill Library Association, and is now the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum.[6]
Choose the Ideal Electrician Vocational School near Paris ME
Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Paris ME.
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