Heating and Air Conditioning School Edgewater MD

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Training near Edgewater Maryland

air conditioner condensers in Edgewater MD Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near Edgewater MD. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? Many future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few 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 other criteria will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning professional does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

Edgewater MD 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 techs specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for Edgewater MD HVAC technicians to prove 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 some 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 earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be required in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you decide on preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Edgewater MD home There are a variety of alternatives offered 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, typically accomplished in as little as 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Edgewater MD.

Certificate. Generally 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 supplies a more comprehensive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to finish, some degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even 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 study how to design them.

Picking the ideal credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Edgewater MD, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Edgewater MD student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one approach to getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, this option may be a more practical solution for some Edgewater MD students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are more economical than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Edgewater and study supplies can 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 minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your active schedule.

Questions For HVAC Certification Courses

Questions to ask Edgewater MD HVAC training schools As soon as you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you would like to obtain, either on campus or online, you can begin to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Edgewater MD area and throughout the USA to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the first 2 aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC trade schools in the Edgewater MD area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Edgewater MD HVAC employers to help grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with local Edgewater MD HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish 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 up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Edgewater MD HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Edgewater MD home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger 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 some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Edgewater MD, check 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 offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Edgewater MD?

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

Edgewater, Maryland

Edgewater is a suburb located southwest of Annapolis on the south side of the tidal South River. It is bordered by Mayo to the east, Riva to the west, and Lothian to the south. To the north, across the South River, are the communities of Parole and Annapolis Neck.

Edgewater is often considered a suburb of Annapolis due to its close proximity and development in the area. The area is steadily increasing with retail and residential development. Edgewater is part of the southern portion of Anne Arundel County. Londontown, Maryland, Southdown, South River Colony, Glebe Heights, Gingerville, and Edgewater Beach are some of the neighborhoods found in Edgewater.

Maryland Route 2 (Solomons Island Road) is the main north-south road through the community lined with businesses and residential developments, leading north across the South River Bridge to Annapolis and south to Prince Frederick and beyond. Maryland Route 214 (Central Avenue) intersects MD 2 and forms the southern boundary of the CDP leading east to the communities of Beverly Beach and Mayo. Maryland Route 253 (Mayo Road) curves through the center of the CDP in the Londontown neighborhood connecting Routes 2 and 214.

Heating and Air Conditioning School Edgewater MD

Enrolling in the right HVAC school program is a critical beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Conditioning School. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should pick an Heating and Cooling technical school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are lots of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Edgewater MD.