Tag Archives: Accredited Local HVAC Trade Schools near Lowell AR 72745

HVAC Online Course Lowell AR

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Training near Lowell Arkansas

air conditioner condensers in Lowell AROnce you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next action is to look for an HVAC trade school near Lowell AR. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the ideal one to get the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their decision based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other factors that you need to research are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning professional does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Pro

Lowell AR HVAC Tech installing water heaterHVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not required, but a voluntary way for Lowell AR HVAC technicians to establish that they are exceptionally skilled and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are many acknowledged certifications within the industry that are available. Below are some of the significant ones.

  • North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
  • HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
  • EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s important that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Lowell AR homeThere are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, usually achieved in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near Lowell AR.

  • Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
  • Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed background of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 2 years to complete, some degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
  • Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career aspirations are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Lowell AR, later going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Lowell AR student attending HVAC school onlineEnrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility to attaining your education and receiving a degree or certificate. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Many also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be participated in online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for some Lowell AR students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Lowell and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your active schedule.

Questions For HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Lowell AR HVAC training schoolsWhen you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you desire to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to decrease your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Lowell AR area and all over the Country to choose from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Lowell AR area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates.  Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader 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 can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Lowell AR HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with local Lowell AR HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lowell AR HVAC company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lowell AR residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lowell AR, check that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Lowell AR?

Perhaps you are considering enrolling in an HVAC training program in the Lowell Arkansas area.  If so, you may find the following background information about the location of your new school campus both interesting and informative.

Lowell, Arkansas

Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located within the Ozarks, first settlement was along Old Wire Road in the 1840s, and although destroyed during the Civil War, the community was reestablished by J. H. McClure and thrived when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway came through the area in the 1880s. Today, the city is a growing bedroom community within the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas region. Lowell is also home to the headquarters of trucking company J.B. Hunt. Lowell's population was 7,327 at the 2010 census, an increase of 46% since 2000.[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lowell has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.9 km2), of which 9.2 square miles (23.7 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.68%, is water.[3] Lowell is located in southern Benton County at 36°15′38″N 94°8′22″W / 36.26056°N 94.13944°W / 36.26056; -94.13944 (36.260429, -94.139570).[6] It is bordered by the cities of Springdale and Bethel Heights to the south, Cave Springs to the west and Rogers to the north. 4 miles (6 km) to the east is Beaver Lake, a large reservoir of the White River.

The Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area consists of three Arkansas counties: Benton, Madison, and Washington, and McDonald County, Missouri. The area had a population of 347,045 at the 2000 census which had increased to 463,204 by the 2010 Census (an increase of 33.47 per cent). The area does not consist of the usual principal-city-with-suburbs morphology; instead the four principal cities are all located along Interstate 49 in a linear configuration. Lowell is also located along this corridor, between Springdale and Rogers.

HVAC Online Course Lowell AR

Picking the right HVAC training program is a crucial first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Online Course. However, as we have addressed in this post, you should pick an HVAC school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are plenty of hands-on training and modern facilities. You should go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Lowell AR.

More Hot and Cool Locations in Arkansas

  • Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Schools Springdale AR
  • HVAC Program Morrilton AR
  • HVAC Diploma Online Brookland AR
  • Air Conditioning Classes Mc Rae AR
  • HVAC Associates Degree Prairie Grove AR
  • HVAC Training Jessieville AR
  • Air Conditioner Repair Training Dumas AR
  • Online HVAC Course Osceola AR
  • HVAC Certification Classes Near Me Gillham AR
  • Online Air Conditioning Courses De Witt AR
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 53

    Bud Anderson Heating & Cooling
    19 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Air Duct Cleaning, Water Heater Installation/Repair
    Phone:
    524 S Lincoln St, Lowell, AR 72745

    My Guys' HVAC
    1 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
    Phone:
    Bentonville, AR 72712

    Clayburn HVACR
    1 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
    Phone:
    17857 E Hwy 412, Ste 9, Springdale, AR 72764

    Absolute Heat & Air
    1 Reviews
    Insulation Installation, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Home Automation
    Phone:
    1083 E Lowell Ave, Cave Springs, AR 72718

    Paschal Air, Plumbing & Electric
    18 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Plumbing, Electricians
    Phone:
    280 N Maestri Rd, Springdale, AR 72762

    BurtonWright Mechanical
    2 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
    Phone:
    1800 S Stirman Ave, Ste 900, Fayetteville, AR 72701

    B & B Heating & Air
    2 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
    Phone:
    405 SE 5th St, Bentonville, AR 72712

    Sturdivant's Heating & Air Conditioning
    3 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC
    Phone:
    101 Butterfield Coach Rd, Springdale, AR 72764

    Mayes Plumbing & Heating
    5 Reviews
    Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Septic Services
    Phone:
    Springdale, AR 72762

    NWA Cooling & Heating
    1 Reviews
    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Appliances
    Phone:
    Rogers, AR 72758