HVAC Courses Programs Summit KY

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near Summit Kentucky

air conditioner condensers in Summit KY Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next step is to choose an HVAC vocational school near Summit KY. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the ideal one to receive the training that you require? A number of potential students will make their selection based solely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some 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 benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Summit KY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an alternative means for Summit KY HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally proficient and experienced in their area of specialization. There are a number of recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Following are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency examination and can be earned 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 required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Schools

radiator heater in Summit KY home There are a number of choices offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or vocational school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, usually accomplished in just 6 months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Summit KY.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more comprehensive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to complete, a number of degrees include 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Summit KY, subsequently going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

Summit KY student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option to attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. A number also sponsor 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 participated in on the web, this alternative may be a more practical solution for many Summit KY students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even travelling expenses from Summit and study materials can be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Summit KY HVAC training schools After you have picked the type of degree or certificate that you want to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Summit KY area and throughout the Country to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of key qualifications when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC vocational programs in the Summit KY area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC 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 low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of Summit KY HVAC employers to assist grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Summit KY HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Summit KY HVAC company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Summit KY residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive 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 witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Summit KY, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Summit KY?

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

Summit, Kentucky

Summit is an unincorporated community in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States on US 60 just west of Ashland. Summit serves as a suburb to the city of Ashland and shares the city's ZIP code. Summit is sometimes spelled with two "T's" at the end, although the most common spelling contains only one "T" but either variation is accepted as correct.

Summit is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649. The Summit name was first applied to a 19th-century railroad passenger and freight station located at the site. Summit was selected as descriptive of the location's unique topographical features including a flat terrain on a higher elevation than other parts of the surrounding area. Unusual for the region, this terrain was created by the ancient Teay's River and the associated Glacial Lake Tight. The Lexington, Elizabethtown, and Big Sandy Railroad opened a station here in the late 19th century after the railroad was constructed through Summit. It served the residents of what was then a sparsely populated farming community until the station was closed due to its close proximity to Ashland made it no longer necessary. Now a populated suburban area, Summit's development was slow until the Federal Correctional Institution was located at the heart of Summit on Kentucky Route 716. This and the upgrading of U.S. Route 60, made transportation easier for residents to commute to and from Ashland.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates the Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland in Summit,[1][2] 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Ashland.[3] There is also an adjacent federal prison camp, which in 2006 was listed as one of the best places to go to prison by Forbes magazine.[4]

Picking the ideal HVAC school course is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Courses Programs. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should select an Heating and Cooling school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to search for are lots of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to 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. Try to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our checklist 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 commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Summit KY.