Heating and Air Training Lake Ariel PA

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Program near Lake Ariel Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Lake Ariel PA Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next step is to choose an HVAC trade school near Lake Ariel PA. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the best one to receive the training that you require? A number of future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Although these are significant 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. These and other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

Lake Ariel PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, though each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not required, but an alternative means for Lake Ariel PA HVAC techs to prove that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are many respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Following are some 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 proficiency examination and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Lake Ariel PA home There are a variety of options available for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually completed in just 6 months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each option offered near Lake Ariel PA.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more comprehensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to complete, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Lake Ariel PA, subsequently going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

Lake Ariel PA student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility in getting your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in 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 attended on the web, this approach may be a more convenient solution for some Lake Ariel PA students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are more economical than other traditional alternatives. Even driving expenses from Lake Ariel and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Lake Ariel PA HVAC training schools As soon as you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you want to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Lake Ariel PA area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of key qualifiers when making school evaluations. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade programs in the Lake Ariel PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified 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 directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Lake Ariel PA HVAC employers to help grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical 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 reviewing have referring relationships with local Lake Ariel PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lake Ariel PA HVAC company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lake Ariel PA residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lake Ariel PA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Lake Ariel PA?

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

Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania

Lake Ariel is a village in Lake Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. It was once the site of an amusement park. The main intersection is dominated by Saint Thomas Moore Roman Catholic Church and the Howe Convenient Market.

Located in northeastern Pennsylvania, Lake Ariel was founded by settlers with the name of Jones, and thus was once known by its people as Jonestown. Although when the town began it was formed of only a few family farms, Jonestown soon expanded due to the Pennsylvania Coal Company's Gravity Railroad. It brought workers and soon businesses were needed to fulfil their needs, including a post office named Ariel, which would later lead to the change in name of the town.

Since the late 19th century through the 20th century, Lake Ariel has had various thriving businesses. There were numerous sawmills, and Lake Ariel also had different factories such as a cheese factory and a chair factory. Many locals also held jobs at the ice houses and Lake Ariel Park. Lake Ariel Park was a major tourist area for the community. It contained a pavilion for picnics and dancing. There were also rides such as a waterslide, a rollercoaster called the Cyclone, carousels, and miniature train rides. The park also had a beach where visitors could go swimming or boating. The owners of Lake Ariel Park also purchased an airplane so that their visitors could pay to get rides in the plane. The Lake Ariel Park also led to the increased popularity of the Lake Ariel Hotel which was formerly known as the Columbia Hotel. The Lake Ariel Hotel stood in disrepair for many years until it was finally torn down in 2011. Unfortunately, the Lake Ariel Park had a worse fate. Due to summer hurricanes and bad winters the park had to be closed down in the early 1950s. Some businesses did withstand the test of time. John T. Howe started his gas station in 1919, the business was passed down to his son and is still in business today. It now is called Howe Convenient Market. It is a gas station and store but it is not in the original building. Another business that had a few changes but is still running today is the Wayne Garage. It was built in 1915, making it the oldest business in Lake Ariel. After it was sold to new owners in 1958 it was changed to a body shop and remains one today.

Selecting the right HVAC school program is a critical beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Training. However, as we have discussed in this post, you should pick an Heating and Cooling training program and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other things to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk 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 if evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Lake Ariel PA.