Heating and Air Conditioning Programs Strongsville OH

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC Training Program near Strongsville Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Strongsville OH Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next action is to look for an HVAC technical school near Strongsville OH. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the right one to receive the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are significant considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other things 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. Those and other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to choose an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor

Strongsville OH HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not required, but a voluntary means for Strongsville OH HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are exceptionally qualified and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the industry that are available. Here are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a competency examination 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 examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for techs that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be required in your area, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the program you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

radiator heater in Strongsville OH home There are several choices offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, usually accomplished in as little as 6 months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train 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 edge in the job market and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Strongsville OH.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more detailed understanding of heating and 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 for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 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 appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Strongsville OH, eventually going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Strongsville OH student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one alternative in getting your education and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. A number also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be participated in online, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Strongsville OH students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Strongsville and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more affordable. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Strongsville OH HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you want to acquire, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Strongsville OH area and all over the USA to select from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Strongsville OH area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can result in 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 additionally that it has the network of Strongsville OH HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC training 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 within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with local Strongsville OH HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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, check with the HVAC technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Strongsville OH HVAC company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Strongsville OH home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors 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 meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Strongsville OH, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Strongsville OH?

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

Strongsville, Ohio

Strongsville is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 44,750. The city's nickname 'Crossroads of the Nation,' originated from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) intersecting with the Southwestern Electric Line that connected Cleveland and Wooster, Ohio.[7] As the railroad line ceased operation in 1931, the motto and city seal have been adapted to reflect the modern day intersection of Interstate 71 and the Ohio Turnpike. [8]

Strongsville officially became a township on February 25, 1818, a village in 1923, and was ultimately designated a city in 1961. Founded by settlers arriving in the newly purchased Connecticut Western Reserve, the city was named after John Stoughton Strong, the group's leader. Many of the main streets in the city are named after other principal figures and landowners from the city's history, e.g. Howe, Drake, Shurmer, Whitney.[9]

In the mid-19th century, the Pomeroy House, then called The Homestead, was a stop on the underground railroad. Alanson Pomeroy, the home owner and a prominent Strongsville resident, concealed runaway slaves on his property. From this residence in Strongsville, the runaway slaves were taken to boats on Rocky River for passage to Canada.[10]

Heating and Air Conditioning Programs Strongsville OH

Finding the ideal HVAC training program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Conditioning Programs. However, as we have covered in this article, you should select an HVAC vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to search for are plenty of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling options and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Strongsville OH.