HVAC Technical Training Jamestown NC

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC School near Jamestown North Carolina

air conditioner condensers in Jamestown NC Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near Jamestown NC. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the ideal one to get the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other details that you need to look into 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 discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

Jamestown NC HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Obtaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Jamestown NC HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are many recognized certifications within the field that are available. Here 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 examination 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 professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be required in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Schools

radiator heater in Jamestown NC home There are a variety of options available for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically accomplished in just 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 might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Jamestown NC.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning 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 provides a more comprehensive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to complete, many degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Jamestown NC, eventually returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

Jamestown NC student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one possibility in obtaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be attended on the web, this approach may be a more convenient solution for many Jamestown NC students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Jamestown and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Jamestown NC HVAC training schools Once you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you desire to obtain, 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 Jamestown NC area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two variables you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade programs in the Jamestown NC area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean 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 Jamestown NC HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with local Jamestown NC HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Jamestown NC HVAC company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Jamestown NC residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Jamestown NC, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure 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, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Jamestown NC?

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

Jamestown, North Carolina

Jamestown is located in southwestern Guilford County at 35°59′54″N 79°56′9″W / 35.99833°N 79.93583°W / 35.99833; -79.93583 (35.998221, -79.935733).[5] It is bordered to the west by the city of High Point. Downtown Greensboro is 11 miles (18 km) to the northeast.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all of it land.[4] The Deep River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River, flows through the southern part of the town.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,088 people, 1,229 households, and 924 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,159.0 people per square mile (448.2/km²). There were 1,293 housing units at an average density of 485.3 per square mile (187.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 86.79% White, 7.97% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.40% Asian, 0.74% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.04% of the population.

Selecting the ideal HVAC school course 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 Technical Training. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to select an Heating and Cooling school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are sufficient practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and if night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Jamestown NC.