Commercial HVAC Training Huntington Mills PA

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near Huntington Mills Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Huntington Mills PA Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next step is to look for an HVAC technical school near Huntington Mills PA. But with so many to pick from, how do you choose the best one to receive the training that you need? Some future students will make their selection based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other details 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 additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative means for Huntington Mills PA HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly proficient and experienced in their area of specialization. There are a number of recognized certifications within the field that are available. Below are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency examination and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience as well as 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 various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be required in your location, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s important that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Schools

radiator heater in Huntington Mills PA home There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, typically achieved in as little as 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near Huntington Mills PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more comprehensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically taking two years to finish, 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to learning 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 dependent on what your long term career goals are, together with the time and money that you have to invest. One approach is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Huntington Mills PA, eventually returning to obtain 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 Training Online

Huntington Mills PA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one option to attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in on the web, this approach may be a more practical solution for some Huntington Mills PA students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even driving expenses from Huntington Mills and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to accommodate school into your hectic schedule.

Questions For HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Huntington Mills PA HVAC training schools Once you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you desire to obtain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC trade schools in the Huntington Mills PA area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Huntington Mills PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Huntington Mills PA HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Huntington Mills PA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Huntington Mills PA HVAC company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Huntington Mills PA home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions 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 hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Huntington Mills PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Huntington Mills PA?

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

Huntington Mills, Pennsylvania

Huntington Mills is located in the center of Huntington Township. The village is very small. The "center" of town is marked by a local mom-and-pop general store, the post office (built on the foundations of one of the old mills), an elementary school, doctor's office, Christmas tree farm, and the volunteer fire company. The town is bisected by one major road, PA 239, and two creeks (Kitchen Creek and Huntington Creek).

Farming is a major way of life in and around Huntington Mills. The milk farms, which proliferated only twenty years ago, are in considerable decline. Farmers have begun to prefer growing hay, tomatoes, and feed-corn. There are half a dozen Christmas tree farms within the township.

Choosing the ideal HVAC training course is a crucial beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Commercial HVAC Training. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should select an HVAC school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person 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 choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Huntington Mills PA.