HVAC Degrees Lairdsville PA

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Degree Program near Lairdsville Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Lairdsville PA Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next step is to look for an HVAC technical school near Lairdsville PA. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the best one to obtain the training that you require? Many potential students will make their decision based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other factors that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and other benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech

Lairdsville PA 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 professionals specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Lairdsville PA HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly qualified and accomplished 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 acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned 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 professional experience together with passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s imperative that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Classes

radiator heater in Lairdsville PA home There are several alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, typically completed in as little as six 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 might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each option offered near Lairdsville PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more comprehensive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically 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 suited more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 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 right credential program will be dependent on what your future career aspirations are, together with the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Lairdsville PA, eventually returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Lairdsville PA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility in attaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be participated in online, this option may be a more accessible solution for some Lairdsville PA students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even travelling expenses from Lairdsville 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 work or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Lairdsville PA HVAC training schools Once you have picked the type of degree or certificate that you desire to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Lairdsville PA area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial two factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Lairdsville PA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning 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 program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to train 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 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of Lairdsville PA HVAC employers to help grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local Lairdsville PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lairdsville PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Lairdsville PA residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lairdsville PA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Lairdsville PA?

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

Pennsylvania Route 118

Pennsylvania Route 118 (PA 118) is a 42.248-mile-long (67.992 km) state route located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at PA 405 in Hughesville. The eastern terminus is at PA 415 in Dallas. The road is known briefly as East Water Street from its western terminus to its intersection with 6th Street in Hughesville, where it becomes Lairdsville Road for 12 miles (19 km) until crossing PA 42 near Unityville. It joins PA 487 for one mile (1.6 km) in Red Rock, where it passes through the southern part of Ricketts Glen State Park. In 1928, the road between Hughesville and Unityville was designated as part of PA 642 while the portion between Red Rock and Lehman was designated as a portion of PA 115. PA 642 was extended from PA 42 in Unityville to PA 539 in the 1940s. During the 1950s, PA 115 was rerouted from Red Rock to head west and replace PA 642 to Hughesville. PA 115 was also realigned to run between Lehman and Dallas. In 1961, PA 118 replaced the portion of PA 115 between Hughesville and Dallas.

Route 118 begins at an intersection with PA 405 (Main Street) in the center of Hughesville in Lycoming County. The route progresses southeastward through the borough as East Water Street. The local street crosses a long stretch of commercial businesses before reaching North Fifth Street, where it turns to the east and crosses over Muncy Creek. After crossing the river, PA 118 changes names to Lairdville Road and the surroundings become residential. The route there turns to the southeast once again, paralleling a long distance with Gregg Run Road. The surroundings quickly change to farmland, and PA 118 continues east through woodlands that begins soon after. At the intersection with Old Lairdsville Road, the route turns to the northeast until a short clearing, where the highway intersects with L Harman Road. At that intersection, the route turns to the southeast once again.[3]

Heading through now Moreland Township, the woodlands soon give way in favor of open fields, where the route intersects with Neuhard and Stan Warn Roads. There, PA 118 turns even further to the southeast and makes a large bend to the northeast later on, where the highway enters the hamlet of Frenchtown. The highway leaves the rural hamlet to the northeast, paralleling Old Lairdsville Road, which soon merges back in. The highway continues, leaving the fields for more woodlands, paralleling an old alignment of PA 118. A short distance after the old alignment stops paralleling, PA 118 breaks free of the woodlands in favor of the village of Lairdsville. Through Lairdsville, the highway passes a long stretch of residential homes and intersects with Dark Hollow Road. At Dark Hollow Road, PA 118 leaves Lairdsville and enters the rural segments of Franklin Township.[3]

Choosing the ideal HVAC school program is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Degrees. However, as we have discussed in this article, you should pick an Heating and Cooling school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to search for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling options and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Lairdsville PA.