HVAC Colleges Hanover KS

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Class near Hanover Kansas

air conditioner condensers in Hanover KS Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to look for an HVAC trade school near Hanover KS. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the right one to receive the training that you require? A number of potential students will make their decision based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few of the other factors that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and other criteria will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Hanover KS HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however each state and local municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary way for Hanover KS HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the field that are available. Following are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and may 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 as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing might be mandated in your area, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s imperative that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in Hanover KS home There are a variety of options available for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually achieved in just 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near Hanover KS.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more comprehensive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally taking two years to complete, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning 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, as well as the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Hanover KS, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Hanover KS student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one possibility to obtaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be participated in on the web, this option may be a more practical solution for some Hanover KS students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Hanover and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Hanover KS HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you desire to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Hanover KS area and all over the United States to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school evaluations. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Hanover KS area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train 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 can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Hanover KS HVAC employers to help students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of 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 HVAC companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Hanover KS HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Hanover KS HVAC contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Hanover KS residence. Remember that if you decide to attend 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 important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hanover KS, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Hanover KS?

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

Hanover, Kansas

Hanover is a city in Washington County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 682;[7] as of 2014, it was estimated to have decreased to 665.[8] It is the second most populous town within Washington County.

The city is primarily agricultural, and the surrounding countryside is filled with small family farms. The Hanover area is also a popular destination for deer hunting. Named after Hanover, Germany, the town is a traditional German community with strong German cultural influences. The local area is home to numerous other German communities such as Hollenberg, Hermansburg, Frankfort, and Bremen.

The "Hollenberg Station" became an important hub along the way for Pony Express travelers and Geret Hollenberg eventually established a grocery and stage depot on his farm in 1858.[9] The Hollenberg farm housed nine boarding rooms, and the success of "Hollenberg Station" as a business attracted more people to the area and many settled alongside the Hollengbergs in the decade leading up to the establishment of Hanover.[10]

Enrolling in the right HVAC training course is a critical beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Colleges. However, as we have covered in this article, you need to select an HVAC training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to look for are plenty of hands-on training and modern 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 current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. 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 right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Hanover KS.