How to Choose HVAC Technical Schools Clarksburg TN

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Training near Clarksburg Tennessee

air conditioner condensers in Clarksburg TN Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next step is to choose an HVAC trade school near Clarksburg TN. But with so many to select from, how do you select the best one to obtain the training that you require? Some prospective students will make their selection based entirely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other things that you need to look into are the graduation 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 discuss how to pick an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Specialist

Clarksburg TN HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, though each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Clarksburg TN HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are exceptionally skilled and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are multiple acknowledged certifications within the field that are available. Here are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists 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.

Since licensing might be required in your location, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the program you select readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Schools

radiator heater in Clarksburg TN home There are several alternatives offered for HVAC training 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, usually achieved in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each credential offered near Clarksburg TN.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring 2 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One possibility is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Clarksburg TN, subsequently returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

Clarksburg TN student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one alternative in getting your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be participated in via the internet, this approach may be a more convenient solution for some Clarksburg TN students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Clarksburg and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more budget-friendly. 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, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Clarksburg TN HVAC training schools After you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Clarksburg TN area and all over the United States to select from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two variables you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Clarksburg TN area have acquired 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 pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Clarksburg TN HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Clarksburg TN HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Clarksburg TN HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Clarksburg TN home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased 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 challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Clarksburg TN, verify that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Clarksburg TN?

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

Clarksburg, Tennessee

Clarksburg is in southern Carroll County, along Tennessee State Route 22, which leads north 9 miles (14 km) to Huntingdon, the county seat, and south 6 miles (10 km) to Interstate 40 at Parkers Crossroads. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2), all land.[2]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 285 people, 119 households, and 81 families residing in the town. The population density was 241.7 people per square mile (93.3/km²). There were 132 housing units at an average density of 111.9 per square mile (43.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.04% White, 2.81% African American, 1.05% Native American, 1.75% Asian, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.

There were 119 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.

How to Choose HVAC Technical Schools Clarksburg TN

Picking the right HVAC training course is an important beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding How to Choose HVAC Technical Schools. However, as we have covered in this post, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other things to look for are sufficient practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Clarksburg TN.