HVAC Courses Bedford KY

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Course near Bedford Kentucky

air conditioner condensers in Bedford KY Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to look for an HVAC trade school near Bedford KY. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the ideal one to obtain the training that you need? Many potential students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are significant considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other details 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 discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Pro

Bedford KY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for Bedford KY HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly proficient and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are multiple recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and may 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 together with passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important 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 school you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Schools

radiator heater in Bedford KY home There are several options offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, often completed in as little as six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each option offered near Bedford KY.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to complete, some degrees incorporate 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 conventional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be based on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and money that you have to commit. One possibility is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Bedford KY, subsequently going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Bedford KY student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one alternative in obtaining your education and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be participated in on the web, this option may be a more convenient solution for some Bedford KY students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even commuting expenses from Bedford and study supplies may be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Bedford KY HVAC training schools As soon as you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you would like to acquire, either online or on campus, you can begin to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Bedford KY area and across the Country to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical programs in the Bedford KY area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make certain that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many 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 looking at 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 might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Bedford KY HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Bedford KY HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Bedford KY HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Bedford KY home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs 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 Bedford KY, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Bedford KY?

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

Bedford, Kentucky

It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 42 and 421. It was named for Bedford, Virginia, former home of the first settler, Richard Bell, who built a house near what he called Bedford Spring in 1805.[citation needed] The town was founded in 1816 and first incorporated in 1850. Following its loss of city status, it was reïncorporated in 1946.[3]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 677 people, 282 households, and 183 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,690.3 people per square mile (653.5/km²). There were 297 housing units at an average density of 741.5 per square mile (286.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.93% White, 0.15% African American, 1.77% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 282 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 20.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.

Picking the ideal HVAC school course is an important first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Courses. However, as we have covered in this post, you should select an HVAC training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are sufficient practical training and state-of-the-art 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 faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out 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 right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Bedford KY.