How to Become an Electrician in Stonington Maine
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Stonington ME. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many points to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, 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 additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Stonington ME
There are several options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Stonington ME. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Maine technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are provided by Maine junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Maine colleges, but are less preferred 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, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Stonington ME can perform a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining 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 can be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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 furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Stonington ME
An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Stonington ME are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Stonington ME area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Stonington ME school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers 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 directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Stonington ME grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Stonington ME area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Stonington ME electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Stonington residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Stonington ME, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Stonington ME?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Stonington ME area.
Stonington, Maine
Stonington is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States, located on the southern portion of Deer Isle. The population was 1,152 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Oceanville and West Stonington. A picturesque old seaport and tourist destination on Penobscot Bay, the town is home to Stonington Municipal Airport, and terminus for mailboat ferry service to the island town of Isle au Haut.
The first people to live on Deer Isle, as early as 6,100 years ago, were Native Americans. Their descendants were known to early French explorers as Etchemins; some continued to live on the island even after Anglo-Americans established settlements. The first European to venture into the region was Estevan Gomez, a Portuguese working for the Spanish Crown. Gomez sailed his ship La Anunciada up Eggemoggin Reach, which divides Deer Isle from the mainland. The French, however, would be the most active in the region, establishing a fort in Castine and intermarrying with Abenaki natives. A body buried in full armor (believed to be French) was discovered on nearby Campbell Island.[1]
Toward the end of the French and Indian War, Deer Isle was settled by New England colonists around 1760. Sailors on the island became noted for maritime skills, some even serving as crew in the America's Cup Races of 1895 and 1899. Ironically, their ancestors hadn't come looking for a life on the sea, but on the land. Following a southerly migration from the mainland above, the first settlers established farms and built cabins on the northern part of Deer Island. On the southern part, Green's Landing (as Stonington was initially known) would be settled after 1800.[2]
Enroll in the Right Electrical Vocational School near Stonington ME
Picking the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Stonington ME.
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