HVAC Programs Online Lewiston NE

How to Choose the Right HVAC Degree Program near Lewiston Nebraska

air conditioner condensers in Lewiston NE Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to choose an HVAC technical school near Lewiston NE. But with so many to pick from, how do you pick the best one to get the training that you require? Many prospective students will make their decision based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Even though these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other things 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 covered in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to pick an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning professional does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Specialist

Lewiston NE HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional way for Lewiston NE HVAC technicians to prove that they are exceptionally proficient and experienced in their area of expertise. There are many recognized certifications within the field that are offered. Below are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency exam and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification available, 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 desire to obtain certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be handling refrigerants, make sure that the program you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

radiator heater in Lewiston NE home There are a variety of options available for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum period of time, usually completed in as little as 6 months, though 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 programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near Lewiston NE.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level 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 supplies a more extensive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to finish, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored 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 learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Lewiston NE, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Lewiston NE student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one possibility to obtaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in online, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for some Lewiston NE students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Lewiston and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Lewiston NE HVAC training schools After you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you wish to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC trade schools in the Lewiston NE area and all over the USA to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the first two factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade programs in the Lewiston NE area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may 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. Confirm that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Lewiston NE HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with local Lewiston NE HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently 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 Lewiston NE HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lewiston NE residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lewiston NE, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Lewiston NE?

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

Lewiston, Nebraska

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 68 people, 30 households, and 15 families residing in the village. The population density was 680.0 inhabitants per square mile (262.5/km2). There were 37 housing units at an average density of 370.0 per square mile (142.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.5% White and 1.5% African American.

There were 30 households of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.0% were non-families. 43.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 3.27.

The median age in the village was 37 years. 32.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 2.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 17.6% were from 45 to 64; and 22.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 52.9% male and 47.1% female.

Selecting the right HVAC school course is a critical first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Programs Online. However, as we have addressed in this post, you should select an HVAC vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to look for are sufficient practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Lewiston NE.