HVAC Tech School South Glens Falls NY

How to Find the Right HVAC Training Class near South Glens Falls New York

air conditioner condensers in South Glens Falls NY Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near South Glens Falls NY. But with so many to pick from, how do you select the right one to obtain the training that you need? Some future students will make their decision based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Although these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. A few of the other details that you need to research are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and other criteria will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional

South Glens Falls NY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for South Glens Falls NY HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of acknowledged certifications within the field that are offered. 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 proficiency exam and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination 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. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be required in your area, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Classes

radiator heater in South Glens Falls NY home There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the least period of time, often achieved in just 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each option offered near South Glens Falls NY.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 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 learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career goals are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in South Glens Falls NY, later going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

South Glens Falls NY student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one approach to attaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended via the internet, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some South Glens Falls NY students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from South Glens Falls and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And numerous online programs 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 HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your hectic schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask South Glens Falls NY HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the South Glens Falls NY area and all over the Country to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school evaluations. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the South Glens Falls NY area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the HVAC training course 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 course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also 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 can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of South Glens Falls NY HVAC employers to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local South Glens Falls NY HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local South Glens Falls NY HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your South Glens Falls NY residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near South Glens Falls NY, verify that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near South Glens Falls NY?

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

South Glens Falls, New York

South Glens Falls is a village in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,368 at the 2000 census. The village is in the northern part of the Town of Moreau, south of the City of Glens Falls.

Cooper's Cave, shown on the village seal, is named after the author, James Fenimore Cooper. Cooper was inspired to use the area as a location in his novel, The Last of The Mohicans, after visiting the area.[2]

In the late Woodland period, the area was considered to be the winter hunting grounds for the Mohawk and Algonquian tribes. Slowly, the area became attractive to settlement as good were transported through the "Great Carry" (now Route 9), between Glens Falls and Fort Edward.[3]

Enrolling in the right HVAC training program is a crucial 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 Tech School. However, as we have discussed in this post, you should pick an HVAC trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to look for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person 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 teaching and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in South Glens Falls NY.