Heating and Air Training Pembroke ME

How to Select the Right HVAC Certification Course near Pembroke Maine

air conditioner condensers in Pembroke MEOnce you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next action is to look for an HVAC trade school near Pembroke ME. But with so many to pick from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? A number of future students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other details that you need to research 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 discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to pick an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Pembroke ME HVAC Tech installing water heaterHVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but a voluntary way for Pembroke ME HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are multiple respected certifications within the trade that are available. Below are a few of the significant ones.

  • North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a competency exam and can 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 as well as passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in several specialties.
  • EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary 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.

Considering that licensing might be required in your area, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Pembroke ME homeThere are several choices available for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, typically achieved in as little as 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each credential offered near Pembroke ME.

  • Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
  • Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more detailed knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring two years to finish, some degrees include an internship or work-study program.
  • Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Pembroke ME, subsequently returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Pembroke ME student attending HVAC school onlineAttending an HVAC program online is one approach in obtaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Some 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 online, this option may be a more practical solution for some Pembroke ME students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Pembroke and study supplies may be lessened, helping to make schooling more affordable. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to fit school into your active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Courses

Questions to ask Pembroke ME HVAC training schoolsAfter you have picked the type of certificate or degree that you want to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the Pembroke ME area and across the USA to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of key qualifiers when making school assessments. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the first two factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you should research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  Many HVAC vocational programs in the Pembroke ME area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified 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 broader directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Pembroke ME HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Many HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with local Pembroke ME HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding 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 certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Pembroke ME HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Pembroke ME home. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Pembroke ME, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Pembroke ME?

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

Pembroke, Maine

Called Pennamaquan by the Passamaquoddy Indians, the area was settled about 1774 as part of Dennysville.[5] It was set off and incorporated on February 4, 1832 by the legislature, which named it after Pembroke in Wales, a community with a history of wooden shipbuilding stretching back to the Middle Ages. With one of the finest harbors in Maine, Pembroke too became a shipbuilding center. Vessels were constructed here as early as 1825. By 1859, when the population was 1,712, there were seven shipyards operating. Most schooners constructed here were used either by the coasting trade or fisheries.[6]

Pembroke also had a stone factory, three sawmills, one gristmill, four shingle mills and four lath machines. Near the head of tide stood the Pembroke Iron Company, established in 1832 and by 1856 producing almost 5,000 tons of iron spikes, rivets and nails a year. Another occupation was agriculture.[6] In 1880, the town's population was 2,324.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.26 square miles (91.32 km2), of which, 27.36 square miles (70.86 km2) of it is land and 7.90 square miles (20.46 km2) is water.[1] Drained by the Pennamaquan River, Pembroke is on Cobscook Bay.

Heating and Air Training Pembroke ME

Selecting the right HVAC training course is an important first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Training. However, as we have addressed in this post, you need to pick an HVAC technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to search for are plenty of hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Pembroke ME.

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    Evergreen Home & Hearth
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    Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Fireplace Services, Chimney Sweeps
    Phone:
    403 High St, Ellsworth, ME 04605