How to Become an Electrician in South Thomaston Maine
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near South Thomaston ME. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near South Thomaston ME
There are several ways to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near South Thomaston ME. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases 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 become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Maine trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Maine institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in South Thomaston ME can perform a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring 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 duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in South Thomaston ME
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case 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 attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from South Thomaston ME are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the South Thomaston ME region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the South Thomaston ME program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify 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 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help South Thomaston ME grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with South Thomaston ME area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local South Thomaston ME electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your South Thomaston home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction 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 big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near South Thomaston ME, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near South Thomaston ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the South Thomaston ME area.
South Thomaston, Maine
Abenaki Indians called it Wessaweskeag, meaning "tidal creek" or "salt creek," a reference to what is now known as the Weskeag River. Thomas Lefebvre from Quebec, Canada owned a huge tract of land at the Weskeag River, where his stay began in 1704. He built a large gristmill, with a house on the shoreline. Although he would eventually return to Quebec, the area retained his name — Thomas' Town. But the adjacent St. George River was the uneasy dividing line between land controlled by New England and New France. Permanent settlement would be delayed by the French and Indian Wars, which ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris.[4]
In 1767, Wessaweskeag was settled by Elisha Snow, who built a sawmill operated by tidal power. In 1773, Joseph Coombs arrived and built another sawmill nearby, and together they built a gristmill. The village of South Thomaston grew around the mills, which would include three granite polishing machines to process stone cut from the town's numerous quarries. On July 28, 1848, South Thomaston was set off from Thomaston and incorporated as a separate town.[5]Owl's Head would be set off from South Thomaston on July 9, 1921.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.97 square miles (46.54 km2), of which, 11.44 square miles (29.63 km2) of it is land and 6.53 square miles (16.91 km2) is water.[1] South Thomaston is located on the Weskeag River inlet.
Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near South Thomaston ME
Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak 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 choose is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in South Thomaston ME.
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