Online HVAC Degree Bethel Park PA

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Class near Bethel Park Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Bethel Park PA Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next action is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Bethel Park PA. But with so many to pick from, how do you decide on the best one to receive the training that you need? Some future students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. While these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other things that you need to look into 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 addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

Bethel Park PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, though each state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Bethel Park PA HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are highly qualified and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are multiple respected certifications within the field that are available. Following are some 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 competency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in Bethel Park PA home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, often achieved in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Bethel Park PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring two years to finish, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared 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 learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Bethel Park PA, later going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Bethel Park PA student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility in attaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be attended on the web, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for many Bethel Park PA students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even travelling expenses from Bethel Park and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your active schedule.

Questions For HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Bethel Park PA HVAC training schools After you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you want to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Bethel Park PA area and throughout the United States to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of key qualifiers when making school evaluations. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two factors you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC trade programs in the Bethel Park PA area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified 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 list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Bethel Park PA HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Bethel Park PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Bethel Park PA HVAC company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Bethel Park PA residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm 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 at night or on weekends near Bethel Park PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Bethel Park PA?

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

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

Bethel Park, referring to itself as the Municipality of Bethel Park,[3] is a borough with home rule status[4] in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles (13 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 32,313 at the 2010 census.

The area that is now Bethel Park was originally settled around 1800 and was first established as Bethel Township, in 1886. Bethel Park was incorporated as a borough on March 17, 1949,[5] and became a home rule municipality in 1978. The name was most likely named after a meeting house.[6]

The first armored car robbery in the U.S. occurred on March 11, 1927 when a Brinks truck, heading towards the Coverdale Mine about a mile away was attacked.[7][8]Paul Jaworski and his 'Flatheads" gang destroyed the road with dynamite to steal a mining payroll.[9]

Selecting the ideal HVAC school course is an important beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Online HVAC Degree. However, as we have addressed in this article, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to look 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 training and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and if night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Bethel Park PA.