HVAC Certification Courses Online Lakewood NY

How to Choose the Right HVAC Certificate Program near Lakewood New York

air conditioner condensers in Lakewood NY Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Lakewood NY. But with so many to select from, how do you select the ideal one to obtain the training that you require? A number of future students will make their decision based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just 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 other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Lakewood NY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade 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 professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative way for Lakewood NY HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are highly proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Following are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be required in your location, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Lakewood NY home There are a number of choices available for HVAC instruction 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, often accomplished in just 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each credential offered near Lakewood NY.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more exhaustive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to complete, a number of degrees include 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Lakewood NY, subsequently returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Lakewood NY student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility in obtaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to take part 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 participated in via the internet, this option may be a more convenient solution for some Lakewood NY students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even driving expenses from Lakewood and study materials can be reduced, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Lakewood NY HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Lakewood NY area and all over the USA to select from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school assessments. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical schools in the Lakewood NY area have acquired 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 an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make sure 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. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest 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 alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of Lakewood NY HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Lakewood NY HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lakewood NY HVAC company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lakewood NY home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lakewood NY, check that the programs you are comparing 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, find 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 Lakewood NY?

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

Lakewood, New York

Lakewood is located at 42°6′3″N 79°19′19″W / 42.10083°N 79.32194°W / 42.10083; -79.32194 (42.100929, -79.321919),[3] at the south end of Chautauqua Lake. New York State Route 394 passes through the village as Fairmount Avenue, leading east 5 miles (8 km) to the center of Jamestown and northwest 6 miles (10 km) to Interstate 86 where it crosses Chautauqua Lake.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 3,258 people, 1,474 households, and 909 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,656.8 people per square mile (638.5/km²). There were 1,731 housing units at an average density of 880.3 per square mile (339.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.51% White, 0.71% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population.

There were 1,474 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.84.

HVAC Certification Courses Online Lakewood NY

Choosing the ideal HVAC training program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Certification Courses Online. However, as we have covered in this article, 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 community. Other features to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Lakewood NY.