Air Conditioning Installation Course Antioch TN

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Training Class near Antioch Tennessee

air conditioner condensers in Antioch TN Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next step is to find an HVAC technical school near Antioch TN. But with so many to pick from, how do you pick the right one to receive the training that you need? A number of future students will make their decision based entirely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. 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. Those and other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Specialist

Antioch TN 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 contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for Antioch TN HVAC technicians to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and experienced in their area of expertise. There are many acknowledged certifications within the trade that are available. Below are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency exam and may 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 exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Antioch TN home There are a number of choices available for HVAC training 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 minimum period of time, often achieved in as little as six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each option offered near Antioch TN.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to finish, a number of degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for 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 learn how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, as well as 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 field in Antioch TN, eventually returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Antioch TN student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one alternative to attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. A number also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Antioch TN students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional alternatives. Even travelling expenses from Antioch and study supplies may be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Antioch TN HVAC training schools After you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you desire to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the Antioch TN area and throughout the Country to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of relevant qualifications when making school evaluations. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial 2 aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Antioch TN area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly 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 mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Antioch TN HVAC employers to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Antioch TN HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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 technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Antioch TN HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Antioch TN home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few 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 programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Antioch TN, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Antioch TN?

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

Antioch, Tennessee

The community known as Antioch began at the convergence of Antioch Pike, Hickory Hollow Parkway, Blue Hole Road, and Mt. View Road. The original town of Antioch began as a church located by Mill Creek in 1810. Antioch was a commuter town because workers traveled to and from downtown Nashville. From the beginning, the town provided immediate services like a post office and general store. For planning purposes, the community was given the name Antioch–Priest Lake because the study area encompassed areas near J. Percy Priest Lake and the neighborhoods that grew from the heart of Antioch in the early 1800s.

In 1810, The First Baptist Church was organized in the area near Mill Creek. Then in 1820, a large landowner by the name of Charles Hays donated land for the church to build on, and began referring to it as the Church at Antioch, giving the town its name. Charles Hays based the name change on Bible scripture (Acts 11:26 KJV) which states "... and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." The village was known as Antioch from 1820 onward. For a short time in the 1870s and 1880s, the post office designation for the village was Oneyville, named after the post master of that time, Dr. J. H. Oney. However, it was later changed back to the Antioch.

Now a town featuring a post office, Antioch began to grow covering an area of one to two miles in either direction. The Antioch mail route itself also covered additional areas outside of those communities. Beyond that initial two mile boundary were the communities of Una, Mt. View, Cane Ridge, Tusculum, and Bakertown.

Air Conditioning Installation Course Antioch TN

Enrolling in the ideal HVAC school course 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 Air Conditioning Installation Course. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to pick an HVAC trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to search for are ample practical training and modern facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down 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 Antioch TN.