Trade SchoolsIf you want to start a rewarding career without spending four years in a traditional college or university, a trade school can get you ready for your dream job after only a few months of hands-on, career-focused training.
Trade schools are designed to prepare students with the skills and knowledge needed for specific careers.
Typically, the curriculum focuses on preparing students for certification exams or entry-level employment in their field immediately after graduation.
To help you choose the career path that best fits your skills, schedule, and lifestyle, on this page, we have compiled information about the best trade schools in Portland, Maine, and the programs they offer.
The schools included in our list prepare students for a variety of fields, including healthcare, automotive technology, welding, HVAC, masonry, barbering, and more.
Typically, trade school programs may be completed in less than two years.
If you want to start a rewarding career in the trade fields, we encourage you to start by reading our list.
1Maine Electrical Institute
About the School
Maine Electrical Institute offers electrical training in the state of Maine.
The institute has online and on-site classroom training to get students up to speed on the skills and expertise they need to become a journeyman electrician.
The electrical courses are approved by the state of Maine and New Hampshire to aid students in getting their license as soon as possible.
Students who want to attend classes in person or work through their courses online, get the expert lessons and information needed in order to achieve a career in the electrical industry.
The institute offers:
- In-person programs
- Self-paced programs
- Individual courses
Courses Offered
The first year of in-person courses includes:
- Basic Electricity
- Controls
- Blueprint Reading
- Intro to the National Electrical Code
- Conduit Bending
Second-year courses include:
- Math
- Transformers
- Motors
- Electronics
- Advanced Industrial Controls
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 320 Presumpscot Street, Unit 1, Portland, ME 04103
- Phone: 207-807-8994
- Website: https://www.maineelectricalinstitute.com
2Portland Adult Education
About the School
Portland Adult Education offers a variety of academic and workforce training programs.
Workforce training programs are available for the following industries:
- Banking & Job Preparation
- Healthcare
- Skilled Trades
Courses Offered
The following skilled trades programs are available:
- Heat-Pump Installation Pre-Apprenticeship
- Solar Panel Installation Pre-Apprenticeship
- Bridge to Clean Energy Program
- Transportation Career
The Heat-Pump Installation Pre-Apprenticeship offers supported OSHA 10-Hour Construction Certification, Efficiency Maine Certification, Technical Instruction in Heat Pump Installation, and connection to employers to prepare students for a career in clean energy.
Contact Information
- Address: 14 Locust Street, Portland, ME 04101
- Phone: 207.874.8155
- Website: https://www.portlandadulted.org
3Portland Arts and Technology High School
About the School
Portland Arts and Technology High School offers hands-on, technical, and career-focused education.
The programs prepare students for a wide range of high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers.
The programs prepare students to be ready for career and post-secondary opportunities by:
- Delivering expert instruction in national industry-related standards and technical skills
- Partnering with area employers and local industry
- Coordinating with post-secondary partners
- Providing a safe, positive, and enriching environment within the classroom, laboratory, and business community
- And more
Courses Offered
The following programs are available:
- Automotive Collision
- Automotive Technology
- Carpentry
- Commercial Art
- Culinary Arts
- Food Service
- HVAC & Plumbing
- Masonry
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 196 Allen Avenue, Portland ME 04103
- Phone: 207.874.8165
- Website: https://paths.portlandschools.org
4Northeast Technical Institute
About the School
Northeast Technical Institute offers a variety of training programs that help students pursue their passion and prepare for employment in less than a year.
The institute has spent over 30 years training people for jobs they’ll love.
NTI has campuses located across southern and central Maine.
Courses Offered
Northeast Technical Institute offers:
- Healthcare Career Training
- HVAC/R Technician Career Training
- Information Technology Career Training
- Commercial Truck Driver Career Training
The following Healthcare Career Training programs are available:
- Clinical Medical Assistant Training
- Phlebotomy Technician Training
- Medical Billing & Coding Training
Contact Information
- Address: 51 US-1 Suite K, Scarborough, ME 04074
- Phone: 800-447-1151
- Website: https://ntinow.edu
5Southern Maine Community College
About the School
Southern Maine Community College offers degree programs, classes, job training, and more.
Students may choose from short-term workforce training programs in a variety of areas of interest, including:
- Arts, Humanities, Digital Media & Communications
- Health Sciences
- Industrial Technology & Transportation
- Public Safety
- Sciences, Engineering & Mathematics
- And more
Courses Offered
The following workforce training programs & courses are available:
- Construction Institute
- Electric Vehicle & Hybrid Repair
- Marine Design
- Oil Burner Technician
- Precision Machining
- Welding
- And more
Associate Degree and Certificates are also available in the following fields:
- Automotive Technology Degree
- Construction Technology Degree
- Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Degree
- Horticulture Degree
- Automotive Powertrain Systems Certificate
- CNC Machine Operator Certificate
- Plumbing Certificate
- Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Certificate
- And more
Tuition at Southern Maine Community College is $96 per credit hour for in-state students.
Contact Information
- Address: 29 Sewall Street, Brunswick, Maine 04011
- Phone: 207-844-2102
- Website: https://www.smccme.edu
6People's Inclusive Welding
About the School
If you want to become a welder, People’s Inclusive Welding offers a safe and supportive environment for underserved and underrepresented communities to learn a skilled trade and become empowered blue-collar workers.
Four-week or 10-week intensive courses are available at the school.
The 320-hour welding 101 program helps students start a career in skilled trades.
Over the 32-hour week, students learn key positions, weld joints, and techniques for each of the four welding processes in accordance with AWS Structural Code D1.1.
Students also learn how to set up, dial in, and troubleshoot welding machines for each process.
The course runs for 32 hours a week for 10 weeks, Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact Information
- Address: 20 Park Ave, South Portland, ME, USA
- Phone: 207-370-2070
- Website: https://www.piwsopo.org
7Maine College of Art and Design
About the School
Maine College of Art and Design offers a transformative learning experience in an intimate and demanding educational environment.
The college offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master of Fine Arts, a Master of Arts in Teaching, an Online Master of Arts in Education, an Online Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership, and more.
Maine College of Art and Design has been providing transformative learning experiences since 1882.
The college offers a 10-to-1 student-faculty ratio, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and 24-hour studio access.
Maine College of Art and Design is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
The following majors are available: Animation & Game Art, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Textile & Fashion Design.
Contact Information
- Address: 522 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101
- Phone: 800.639.4808
- Website: https://meca.edu
8Westbrook Regional Vocational Center
About the School
Westbrook Regional Vocational Center is a member of Maine’s network of career and technical education high schools.
The center offers a variety of programs designed to provide a hands-on, career-oriented education for high school students.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available at Westbrook Regional Vocational Center:
- Automotive Technology
- Building Trades
- Business Education
- Computer Science & Multimedia
- Cosmetology
- Criminal Justice
- Culinary Arts
- Cybersecurity
- Education Pathways
- Electricity
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Fire Fighting
- Heavy Equipment Operation
- Medical Occupations
The course curriculum and structure vary depending on the chosen career path, but all programs focus on hands-on education.
For example, the two-year Automotive course involves 700 hours of training.
The program consists of 350 hours of content education in a classroom setting and 350 hours of hands-on shop time.
Each day in the program is one hour of class time and one hour of shop time.
Students in the Building Trades program construct an energy-efficient spec house on site over two years.
Contact Information
- Address: 125 Stroudwater Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092
- Phone: (207) 854-0820
- Website: https://www.westbrookschools.org
9Spa Tech Institute
About the School
Spa Tech Institute is an accredited career school in Massachusetts and Maine.
The institute offers the following programs:
- Therapeutic Massage or Holistic Massage
- Aesthetics
- Cosmetology
- Barber Hair Stylist
- Nail Technology
- Teacher Training
- Polarity Therapy Introductory CEU
The massage school programs at the institute in Maine are designed to give students a wide range of skills with a focus on developing a refined sensitivity to their clients’ needs.
The school’s Maine location is in Westbrook.
Contact Information
- Address: 100 Larrabee Rd, Westbrook, ME 04092
- Phone: 207-591-4141
- Website: https://www.spatech.edu
10Biddeford Regional Center of Technology
About the School
Biddeford Regional Center of Technology offers a variety of COT programs:
- Athletic Training and Sports Medicine
- Auto Body Technology
- Automotive Technology
- Computer Technology
- Culinary Arts
- Electrical Technology
- Emergency Medical Services
- Health Assistant- CNA
- Manufacturing Technology
- Plumbing and Heating
- And more
The Plumbing and Heating program is a two-year program that introduces students to a career in heating technology.
The program prepares students towards the State of Maine Journeyman’s License Exam, Exam 10 Certification, and preparation for LP & Natural Gas License and Refrigerant Certification.
Contact Information
- Address: 10 Maplewood Avenue, Biddeford, ME 04005
- Phone: 207-282-1501
- Website: https://www.biddefordschools.me
Schools Summary Table
Final Thoughts
A trade school is typically a more affordable alternative to a four-year college and focuses on preparing you for an in-demand trade or technical career.
Now that you have read our list of the best trade schools in Portland, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best fits your skills and learning style.
Trade Schools by City in Maine
