How to Choose HVAC Certificate Programs Newville PA

How to Pick the Right HVAC College near Newville Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Newville PANow that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to look for an HVAC technical school near Newville PA. But with so many to pick from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you require? Many future students will make their choice based solely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. A few 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. Those and additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and cooling professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Newville PA HVAC Tech installing water heaterHVAC 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 commonly required to be licensed, though each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Newville PA HVAC techs to establish that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are a number of acknowledged certifications within the trade that are available. Here are a few of the important ones.

  • North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency exam and can be earned 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 must have three years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
  • EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be required in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Classes

radiator heater in Newville PA homeThere are a variety of alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the least period of time, usually completed in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each credential offered near Newville PA.

  • Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
  • Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 2 years to complete, some degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
  • Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and financial resources 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 Newville PA, subsequently returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

Newville PA student attending HVAC school onlineChoosing an HVAC school online is one possibility in getting your training and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this option may be a more practical solution for some Newville PA students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Newville and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic schedule.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Newville PA HVAC training schoolsAfter you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you want to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to limit your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Newville PA area and all over the Country to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Newville PA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates.  Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Newville PA HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of HVAC vocational 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 within their network of HVAC companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Newville PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Newville PA HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Newville PA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 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 large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, 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.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Newville PA, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check 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 Newville PA?

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

Newville, Pennsylvania

Newville is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States, west of Carlisle. The population was 1,326 at the 2010 census.[3] It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Newville is located in west-central Cumberland County at 40°10′11″N 77°24′7″W / 40.16972°N 77.40194°W / 40.16972; -77.40194 (40.169614, −77.402029),[4] on the west side of Big Spring Creek, a tributary of Conodoguinet Creek and part of the Susquehanna River watershed. The borough is bordered on the north and west by North Newton Township and on the south and east by West Pennsboro Township.

Pennsylvania Route 641 passes through the borough as Main Street, leading west 9 miles (14 km) to Newburg and east 11 miles (18 km) to Carlisle, the county seat. Pennsylvania Route 233 (High Street) crosses PA 641 at the center of town and leads north 16 miles (26 km) to Landisburg and southeast 5 miles (8 km) to Interstate 81 near Dickinson. Pennsylvania Route 533 leads southwest from Newville 11 miles (18 km) to Shippensburg.

How to Choose HVAC Certificate Programs Newville PA

Finding the right HVAC school program is a crucial first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding How to Choose HVAC Certificate Programs. However, as we have discussed in this post, you should choose an Heating and Cooling training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to search for are plenty of practical training and modern facilities. You should check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling choices and if evening or weekend classes are offered 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 options so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Newville PA.

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