How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician Ashland OH

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling School near Ashland Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Ashland OH Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to choose an HVAC technical school near Ashland OH. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the right one to receive the training that you need? A number of prospective students will make their choice based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other details that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional criteria will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Pro

Ashland OH 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 contractors specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, however each state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative way for Ashland OH HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are exceptionally qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are several recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Following are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification obtainable, 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 intend to earn certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Ashland OH home There are several alternatives 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 period of time, usually completed in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each option offered near Ashland OH.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring two years to complete, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four 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 right credential program will be based on what your future career objectives are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Ashland OH, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Ashland OH student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility in attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this option may be a more convenient solution for many Ashland OH students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even driving expenses from Ashland and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your active schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Ashland OH 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 start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Ashland OH area and throughout the USA to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of key qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 variables you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Ashland OH area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling 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 lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also 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 mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Ashland OH HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Ashland OH HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Ashland OH HVAC contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Ashland OH residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Ashland OH, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Ashland OH?

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

Ashland, Ohio

Ashland is a city in and the county seat of Ashland County, Ohio, United States.[8] Located 66 miles southwest of Cleveland and 82 miles northeast of Columbus. The population was 20,362 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Ashland Micropolitan Statistical Area (as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003).

Ashland was laid out by Daniel Carter in 1815. Ashland was originally called Uniontown, but in 1822 the city was compelled to adopt a new name because another city in Ohio was already named Uniontown. The new name of Ashland was selected by supporters of the Kentucky congressman Henry Clay, from Ashland, his estate near Lexington.[10][11]

In July 2015, Ashland celebrated it bicentennial with a month full community events, the annual Balloonfest, and a Fourth of July parade that is estimated to have had 10,000 to 12,000 people in attendance. Some entries included the Budweiser Clydesdale, local businesses, veteran groups, antique tractors, and many community groups.

How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician Ashland OH

Selecting the right HVAC training program is a crucial beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to select an HVAC training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to search for are sufficient hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Ashland OH.