Heating and Cooling Trade Schools Francestown NH

How to Find the Right HVAC Training Class near Francestown New Hampshire

air conditioner condensers in Francestown NH Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next step is to choose an HVAC trade school near Francestown NH. 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 entirely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other factors 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 criteria will be discussed 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 contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Specialist

Francestown NH 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 professionals specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Francestown NH HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the trade that are offered. 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 achieved 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. Two 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 as well as a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your location, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s important that you enroll in an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the school you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Francestown NH home There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, often completed in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each option offered near Francestown NH.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring two years to complete, many 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four 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 appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career objectives are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Francestown NH, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Francestown NH student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one approach in getting your education and receiving a degree or certificate. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be attended on the web, this option may be a more convenient solution for many Francestown NH students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even driving expenses from Francestown and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Francestown NH HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to obtain, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Francestown NH area and all over the United States to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of important qualifications when making school evaluations. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first 2 variables you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Francestown NH area have received 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 relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list 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 a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Francestown NH HVAC employers to assist students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Francestown NH HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Francestown NH HVAC company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Francestown NH home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Francestown NH, check that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Francestown NH?

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

Francestown, New Hampshire

Incorporated in 1772, Francestown takes its name from Frances Deering Wentworth,[2] the wife of colonial governor John Wentworth. There were 928 residents when the first census was taken in 1790.[3] For some time the town used its location on the only route between Boston and Vermont, the Second New Hampshire Turnpike, to collect a toll of one cent per mile from coaches and wagons. High-quality soapstone was mined in Francestown until the 1890s.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.7 square miles (80 km2), of which 30.2 square miles (78 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) is water, making up 1.73% of the town. The highest point in Francestown is the summit of Crotched Mountain, at 2,066 feet (630 m) above sea level, on the town's western border. Francestown lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.[4]

The town is crossed by state routes 47 and 136. It is bordered by the towns of Deering to the north, Weare to the northeast, New Boston to the east, Lyndeborough to the south, Greenfield to the southwest, and Bennington to the west.

Heating and Cooling Trade Schools Francestown NH

Finding the right HVAC training program is a crucial beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Cooling Trade Schools. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to select an HVAC vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk 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 choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Francestown NH.