HVAC Certification Classes Clay City KY

How to Pick the Right HVAC Program near Clay City Kentucky

air conditioner condensers in Clay City KY Once you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next step is to choose an HVAC trade school near Clay City KY. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the best one to receive the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their selection based solely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other things that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and other criteria will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss 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 qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

Clay City KY 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 contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but a voluntary way for Clay City KY HVAC techs to prove that they are highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are many recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Here are some 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 exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s essential that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Clay City KY home There are a variety of options available for HVAC instruction in a technical or vocational school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, often accomplished in as little as 6 months, however some programs 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 programs can provide a competitive edge in the job market and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each option offered near Clay City KY.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring two years to complete, 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 four year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career goals are, together with 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 field in Clay City KY, eventually going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

Clay City KY student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility to attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended via the internet, this option may be a more practical solution for many Clay City KY students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even commuting expenses from Clay City and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Clay City KY HVAC training schools As soon as you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you wish to obtain, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC trade schools in the Clay City KY area and across the Country to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade schools in the Clay City KY area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Clay City KY HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Clay City KY HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Clay City KY HVAC contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Clay City KY residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging 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 teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Clay City KY, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Clay City KY?

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

Clay City, Kentucky

The first European settlement in the vicinity of present-day Clay City was in 1786, by Stephen Collins and his brother, after their discovery of pyrite deposits. Shortly afterwards, the brothers set up the first iron forge west of the Allegheny Mountains and established Collins Forge.[3] The Collins brother sold their forge to Clark and Smith in 1805, the forerunner company of the Red River Iron Works. For much of the 19th century, the settlement was known by the same name as the forge. By the 1880s, the post office was moved across the river and was renamed Waltersville for the local family carrying the same surname.[3]

By 1883 the settlement was named Clay City, possibly for the local clay deposits. It is believed that the name was officially changed from Waltersville on August 13, 1883, when the post office was renamed Clay City. The settlement was incorporated as a fifth-class city on April 19, 1890.[3]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,303 people, 543 households, and 367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,199.5 people per square mile (461.6/km²). There were 588 housing units at an average density of 541.3 per square mile (208.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.08% White, 0.23% African American, 0.15% Native American, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

Picking the ideal HVAC training course 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 Certification Classes. However, as we have addressed in this post, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other factors to search for are ample practical 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 talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your options 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 Clay City KY.