Heating and Refrigeration Courses Leavittsburg OH

How to Select the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Class near Leavittsburg Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Leavittsburg OH Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next action is to look for an HVAC vocational school near Leavittsburg OH. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the best one to obtain the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their selection based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other things that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional criteria will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Professional

Leavittsburg 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 air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for Leavittsburg OH HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the field that are available. 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 examination and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience together with passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your location, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Schools

radiator heater in Leavittsburg OH home There are several options offered for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least amount of time, often completed in as little as six months, however 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 programs might provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each credential offered near Leavittsburg OH.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring two years to complete, some degrees incorporate 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 require 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 study how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Leavittsburg OH, subsequently going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

Leavittsburg OH student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one approach to attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number 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 on the web, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for many Leavittsburg OH students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Leavittsburg and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools 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 easier to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Leavittsburg OH HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you wish to acquire, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Leavittsburg OH area and across the Country to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two variables you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical schools in the Leavittsburg OH area have acquired 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. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of Leavittsburg OH HVAC employers to help graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with local Leavittsburg OH HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Leavittsburg OH HVAC contractor if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Leavittsburg OH residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Leavittsburg OH, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Leavittsburg OH?

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

Leavittsburg, Ohio

Leavittsburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Leavittsburg was designated as the market town of Trumbull County, but Warren supplanted Leavittsburg, which remains mostly woodland. Leavittsburg is the burial place of members of the Leavitt family, a family of early Ohio settlers who came from Suffield, Connecticut to settle family lands granted as part of the Western Reserve.[3]

Leavittsburg is named for the Leavitt family of Suffield, Connecticut, a prominent early mercantile New England family originally from Hingham, Massachusetts. Thaddeus Leavitt Esq. was one of the eight original purchasers of the Western Reserve lands from the state of Connecticut. (Leavitt and Suffield businessmen Oliver Phelps, Gideon Granger, Luther Loomis and Asahel Hatheway owned between them one-quarter of all the lands in the Western Reserve assigned to Connecticut.)[5] Leavitt was married to Elizabeth King, the daughter of William King and Lucy (Hatheway), two prominent Suffield families.[6][7] Leavitt had a fleet of ships that traded as far afield as the British West Indies and was a selectman for the town of Suffield. He was also the inventor of an early cotton gin.

Heating and Refrigeration Courses Leavittsburg OH

Picking the right HVAC school course is an important first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and air conditioning industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Refrigeration Courses. However, as we have addressed in this post, you should pick an Heating and Cooling technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to look for are ample practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling choices and if night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down 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 contractor in Leavittsburg OH.