Trade School HVAC Eastlake OH

How to Choose the Right HVAC College near Eastlake Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Eastlake OH Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next step is to choose an HVAC technical school near Eastlake OH. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the right one to obtain the training that you require? Some future students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Even though these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just some 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. These and additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional

Eastlake OH HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Eastlake OH HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are exceptionally proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are multiple respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Following are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is achieved 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 field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Eastlake OH home There are a number of choices available for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can obtain 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, although some courses 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 training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each option offered near Eastlake OH.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more comprehensive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally taking two years to complete, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be based on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Eastlake OH, later going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Eastlake OH student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one possibility to getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical 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 participated in via the internet, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some Eastlake OH students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Eastlake and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Eastlake OH HVAC training schools After you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Eastlake OH area and all over the United States to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial two aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Eastlake OH area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many 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 complete the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent 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 directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Eastlake OH HVAC employers to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Eastlake OH HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already 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 Eastlake OH HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Eastlake OH home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may 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 challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Eastlake OH, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Eastlake OH?

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

Eastlake, Ohio

Eastlake is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,577 at the 2010 census. Dennis Morley is the current mayor of Eastlake. The city was named for the fact it is northeast of Cleveland, Ohio, following along the shore of Lake Erie.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.53 square miles (16.91 km2), of which 6.40 square miles (16.58 km2) is land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) is water.[2][8]

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 18,577 people, 7,841 households, and 5,056 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,902.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,120.7/km2). There were 8,280 housing units at an average density of 1,293.8 per square mile (499.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 1.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

Choosing the right HVAC training program is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Trade School HVAC. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to select an Heating and Cooling training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are sufficient 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 talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Eastlake OH.