How to Choose HVAC Certification Courses Hartland ME

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC Training Class near Hartland Maine

air conditioner condensers in Hartland ME Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near Hartland ME. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? A number of prospective students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Although these are important concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. 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. Those and additional benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

Hartland ME HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for Hartland ME HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are exceptionally proficient and experienced in their area of specialization. There are a number of recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 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 together with a passing score on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be required in your location, and you may also wish to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Classes

radiator heater in Hartland ME home There are a number of options offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, typically accomplished in just 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive edge in the job market and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each option offered near Hartland ME.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more exhaustive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to finish, some degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for 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 appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, as well as the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Hartland ME, subsequently going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Hartland ME student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility in getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Many 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 via the internet, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for some Hartland ME students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Hartland and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Hartland ME HVAC training schools Once you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you desire to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Hartland ME area and throughout the USA to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial two factors you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical schools in the Hartland ME area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Hartland ME HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Hartland ME HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional 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 using on the job. If you are presently 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 Hartland ME HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Hartland ME residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Hartland ME, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Hartland ME?

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

Hartland, Maine

The area was first settled in approximately 1800, and was incorporated as Warrentown or Warrenton on February 17, 1820.[4][5] It was the last town in Maine to be incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court before the Missouri Compromise which led to the birth of the state of Maine, three weeks later.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.95 square miles (111.24 km2), of which, 37.10 square miles (96.09 km2) of it is land and 5.85 square miles (15.15 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,782 people, 741 households, and 482 families residing in the town. The population density was 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km2). There were 1,109 housing units at an average density of 29.9 per square mile (11.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.0% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

How to Choose HVAC Certification Courses Hartland ME

Picking the right HVAC school course is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding How to Choose HVAC Certification Courses. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to choose an Heating and Cooling training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore 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. Also, inquire about scheduling choices and if evening 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 guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Hartland ME.