School for Heating and Air Conditioning Felicity OH

How to Select the Right Heating and Cooling Degree Program near Felicity Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Felicity OH Once you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to choose an HVAC vocational school near Felicity OH. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the ideal one to receive the training that you need? A number of future students will make their choice based entirely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Although these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other things that you need to research 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 covered in more detail later within this article. But before we examine how to select an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

Felicity OH HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however every state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Felicity OH HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are several respected certifications within the field that are offered. Following are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. 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 as well as passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s essential that you enroll in an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Felicity OH home There are a number of options offered 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 minimum period of time, often achieved in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each option offered near Felicity OH.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Normally taking 2 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 as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the right credential program will be based on what your future career goals are, along with the time and money that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Felicity OH, later going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Felicity OH student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC program online is one possibility in obtaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended on the web, this approach may be a more practical solution for some Felicity OH students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other traditional choices. Even commuting expenses from Felicity and study supplies can be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Felicity OH HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you wish 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 technical schools in the Felicity OH area and throughout the USA to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first 2 variables you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade programs in the Felicity OH area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Felicity OH HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Felicity OH HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job 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 instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Felicity OH HVAC contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Felicity OH residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors 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 schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Felicity OH, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Felicity OH?

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

Felicity, Ohio

Felicity was laid out in 1817.[6] It was originally called Feestown in honor of founder William Fee, and changed to Felicity per request of Fee's daughter.[7] It is said that Felicity was a corruption of "Feel City", an earlier variant name.[8] A post office called Feestown was established in 1811, and the name was changed to Felicity in 1829.[9]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 818 people, 335 households, and 198 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,029.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,169.7/km2). There were 374 housing units at an average density of 1,385.2 per square mile (534.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 335 households of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.9% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.19.

School for Heating and Air Conditioning Felicity OH

Selecting the ideal HVAC school program is a critical beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding School for Heating and Air Conditioning. However, as we have discussed in this article, you should choose an HVAC trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out 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. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Felicity OH.