HVAC Training and Certification Mira Loma CA

How to Select the Right Heating and Cooling College near Mira Loma California

air conditioner condensers in Mira Loma CA Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to locate an HVAC technical school near Mira Loma CA. But with so many to pick from, how do you select the right one to get the training that you require? Some potential students will make their choice based entirely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Even though these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few of the other details that you need to look into 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 addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Mira Loma CA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own criteria. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but a voluntary means for Mira Loma CA HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are exceptionally skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are many recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in Mira Loma CA home There are several choices offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least period of time, typically completed in as little as six months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief explanation of each option offered near Mira Loma CA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally taking 2 years to finish, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be based on what your long term career objectives are, along with the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Mira Loma CA, subsequently returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Mira Loma CA student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one alternative in getting your education and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Mira Loma CA students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even commuting expenses from Mira Loma and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family responsibilities have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your active lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Mira Loma CA HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you would like to obtain, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Mira Loma CA area and all over the United States to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial two variables you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade programs in the Mira Loma CA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Mira Loma CA HVAC employers to help grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Mira Loma CA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Mira Loma CA HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Mira Loma CA 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 fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Mira Loma CA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Mira Loma CA?

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

Mira Loma, California

Mira Loma, now officially part of Jurupa Valley, was a census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States. Its population was 21,930 in the 2010 census, up from 17,617 in the 2000 census.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km2), of which, 8.0 square miles (21 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (1.87%) is water.

Originally known as Wineville, it is located in the modern day "Jurupa" area of unincorporated Riverside County. It is separated from the city of Riverside by the Santa Ana River to the south, borders the Ontario/Fontana area of San Bernardino County to the north and west, and Pedley / Glen Avon to the east. The community officially changed its name from Wineville on November 1, 1930, due in large part to the negative publicity surrounding the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders.[4]

Selecting the ideal HVAC school program is a crucial beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Training and Certification. However, as we have discussed in this post, you should choose an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are ample practical training and modern facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for evaluating 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 dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Mira Loma CA.