HVAC Trade Schools Plantsville CT

How to Select the Right HVAC Program near Plantsville Connecticut

air conditioner condensers in Plantsville CT Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Plantsville CT. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to receive the training that you need? Some future students will make their decision based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other factors that you need to investigate are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional criteria will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional

Plantsville CT HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for Plantsville CT HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly skilled and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are a number of acknowledged certifications within the trade that are offered. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing might be required in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you decide on preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Classes

radiator heater in Plantsville CT home There are several choices offered 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 least amount of time, typically achieved in just 6 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 programs can provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each option offered near Plantsville CT.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually taking two years to finish, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 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 ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, as well as the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Plantsville CT, later returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

Plantsville CT student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC program online is one option to getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. A number also offer 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 attended on the web, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some Plantsville CT students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even travelling expenses from Plantsville and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Plantsville CT HVAC training schools After you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to narrow down your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the Plantsville CT area and throughout the United States to pick from. That’s why it is imperative to have a checklist of relevant qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical schools in the Plantsville CT area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Plantsville CT HVAC employers to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical programs are taught together 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 Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Plantsville CT HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Plantsville CT HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Plantsville CT residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training 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 teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Plantsville CT, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Plantsville CT?

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

Plantsville, Connecticut

Plantsville is a neighborhood in the town of Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut.[2] It is centered at the merger between South Main Street (road from the Milldale section) and West Main Street (road from the Marion section). As of the 2000 Census there were 10,387 people living in the Zip Code Tabulation Area for zip code 06479, which is assigned the postal city name Plantsville.[3] The Zip Code Tabulation Area includes the entire southwestern corner of the town of Southington, including Marion and Milldale. Beginning in 2015 Plantsville (not including Marion and Milldale) was listed as a census-designated place.[4]

Plantsville is located in the south-central part of Southington at geographical coordinates 41° 34′ 56" North, 72° 53′ 25" West (41.5824, -72.8904). It is just south of the town center of Southington. The CDP border follows Prospect Street and Carter Lane on the north side, Old Turnpike Road on the east, Mulberry Street on the south, and Atwater Street and Interstate 84 on the west.[5]Connecticut Route 10 (Main Street) passes through the center of Plantsville, leading north to the center of Southington and south to Cheshire.

At the time of the 2000 Census there was a total of 10,387 people living within the Plantsville Zip Code Tabulation Area. The Median Age was 38.3.[3] The median home value in Plantsville is $255,500.[6]

Choosing the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Trade Schools. However, as we have covered in this post, you need to pick an HVAC trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to go to each of the schools personally 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 training and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Plantsville CT.