Air Conditioner Schools Columbus PA

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC College near Columbus Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Columbus PA Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next action is to look for an HVAC trade school near Columbus PA. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the right one to receive the training that you need? Many prospective students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just some of the other factors that you need to investigate are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

Columbus 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 provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own criteria. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative means for Columbus PA HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of 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 techs. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are offered in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

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

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Columbus PA home There are a number of options offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, usually completed in just 6 months, although some programs 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 may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each credential offered near Columbus PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide 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 & cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually taking two years to complete, many degrees include 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the ideal credential program will be based on what your long term career goals are, in addition to 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 trade in Columbus PA, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Columbus PA student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one option to attaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in online, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Columbus PA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Columbus and study supplies may be lessened, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Columbus PA HVAC training schools As soon as you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you would like to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the Columbus PA area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 aspects you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade schools in the Columbus PA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 Columbus PA HVAC employers to assist students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Columbus PA HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional 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 on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Columbus PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Columbus PA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might 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 challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Columbus PA, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Columbus PA?

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

New Columbus, Pennsylvania

New Columbus was first settled in 1819. It was later incorporated as a borough in 1859. The community has not changed much since its founding; farming is still a major way of life for most of the borough.

It is a small farming town located in western Luzerne County (just south of Ricketts Glen State Park). There are small clusters of houses scattered throughout the borough; most of the community consists of farmland. Downtown New Columbus, which consists of a few homes and businesses, is located at the intersection of Old Tioga Turnpike and Academy Street. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.1 square miles (7.9 km2), all of it land.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 215 people, 86 households, and 63 families residing in the borough. The population density was 68.1 people per square mile (26.3/km2). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

Choosing the right HVAC school program is a critical first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Air Conditioner Schools. However, as we have covered in this article, you should select an HVAC technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to search for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training 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 ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down 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 specialist in Columbus PA.