The Electrical Program at Franklin County Technical School is an approved chapter 74 comprehensive program designed to expose students to the diverse electrical field. The program consists of residential, commercial, and industrial wiring practices with a strong emphasis on electrical safety.
The Electrical Program develops student skills for eventual entry-level career opportunities upon graduation. Safety is of paramount importance and students begin their training with a strong foundation of safety measures and build upon those critical skills for the entire time in the electrical program.
Students learn the installation and maintenance of equipment for light, heat, and power with an emphasis on construction. Mathematical and scientific principles are stressed to develop an understanding of electrical circuits and theories. Additionally, Massachusetts Electrical Code, blueprinting reading, schematic and wiring diagrams, and determining cost estimates are all part of the program.
With the importance of "Green Technologies" in construction and energy consumption, the FCTS electrical program has become heavily involved in the introduction of photovoltaic (solar) technologies. Along with the traditional skills necessary for success in the electrical field, keeping up with emerging technologies provides the graduates of the electrical program with the skills needed in the changing electrical field.
The residential portion of this program consists of electrical safety, hand tool usage, ladder safety, and basic circuitry. The residential program expands to include house wiring, electrical service, and photo-voltaic systems. The program uses different off-campus projects such as a house in which the students wire for light, heat, appliances, communications, and alarm systems.
Electrical Customer Work: FCTS, as the regional vocational high school of Franklin County, does so more than teach in a lab classroom and simulation environment. Trade programs have large shops filled with the same tools and technologies used by those men and women working in the trades. As a true extension of the classroom, authentic electrical projects are critically important to the learning environment. FCTS facility projects, along with projects for municipal and non-profit groups, offer hands-on learning to the students. Real-world projects truly provide students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned. Our students thrive on authentic work! You can demonstrate and practice a skill - like bending conduit or wiring projectors and AV lines, but there is nothing like using those skills for real, under the direction of your instructor who now acts as your field supervisor.
Requests for FCTS electrical work must provide educational value to the students and must align with the curriculum. If you are a municipal group or non-profit organization, please contact Maggie Nugent, Director of Career and Technical Education, to find out more about FCTS electrical work (this applies to our other shop areas as well.)
