HVAC Degree Programs New Castle CO

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near New Castle Colorado

air conditioner condensers in New Castle CO Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to find an HVAC technical school near New Castle CO. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the ideal one to receive the training that you require? Many prospective students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other things that you need to look into are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and other benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c professional does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

New Castle CO 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 technicians specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, however each state and local municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an alternative means for New Castle CO HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and experienced in their area of expertise. There are several recognized certifications within the industry that are offered. Below are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for techs that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing might be required in your area, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in New Castle CO home There are several choices available for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, usually achieved in just 6 months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near New Castle CO.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 2 years to complete, a number of degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 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 future career aspirations are, along with the time and money that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in New Castle CO, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

New Castle CO student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one approach in getting your training and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended via the internet, this approach may be a more practical solution for some New Castle CO students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other traditional choices. Even driving expenses from New Castle and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask New Castle CO HVAC training schools After you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you desire to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the New Castle CO area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of key qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial two aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical schools in the New Castle CO area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 Air Conditioning schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of New Castle CO HVAC employers to help grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local New Castle CO HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local New Castle CO HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your New Castle CO home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some 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 attend classes at night or on weekends near New Castle CO, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near New Castle CO?

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

New Castle, Colorado

New Castle is located at 39°34′20″N 107°32′6″W / 39.57222°N 107.53500°W / 39.57222; -107.53500 (39.572304, -107.534941),[9] on the north side of the Colorado River, just east of where the river cuts through the Grand Hogback. Interstate 70 passes through the town following the river, with access from Exit 105. I-70 leads east 12 miles (19 km) to Glenwood Springs, the county seat, east 169 miles (272 km) to Denver, and west 74 miles (119 km) to Grand Junction. U.S. Route 6 is Main Street in New Castle and forms a parallel route to I-70 for local traffic. US-6 joins I-70 5 miles (8 km) to the east at Chacra and 17 miles (27 km) to the west at a point west of Rifle.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2), of which 2.7 square miles (6.9 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.21%, is water.[8]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 1,984 people, 705 households, and 537 families residing in the town. The population density was 850.6 people per square mile (328.8/km²). There were 731 housing units at an average density of 313.4 per square mile (121.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.61% White, 0.30% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 3.28% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.90% of the population.

Picking the ideal HVAC school program is a critical beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Degree Programs. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to choose an HVAC trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in New Castle CO.