Trade Schools for HVAC Clintwood VA

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC College near Clintwood Virginia

air conditioner condensers in Clintwood VA Once you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to choose an HVAC trade school near Clintwood VA. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the best one to receive the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other things that you need to research are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and other benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Specialist

Clintwood VA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC 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 central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Clintwood VA HVAC techs to establish that they are exceptionally proficient and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the field that are offered. Below are a few 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 examination and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience as well as a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians 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.

Considering that licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

radiator heater in Clintwood VA home There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often accomplished in as little as 6 months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of 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 furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each credential offered near Clintwood VA.

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 trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more comprehensive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 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 for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, along with the time and money that you have to commit. One possibility is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Clintwood VA, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Clintwood VA student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC program online is one approach in getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Some also sponsor 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 participated in online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for many Clintwood VA students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other traditional choices. Even driving expenses from Clintwood and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make schooling more affordable. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities 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 hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Certification Courses

Questions to ask Clintwood VA HVAC training schools As soon as you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you wish to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Clintwood VA area and throughout the USA to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifiers when making school evaluations. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade schools in the Clintwood VA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Make sure that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential 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 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of Clintwood VA HVAC employers to assist students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Clintwood VA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Clintwood VA HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Clintwood VA home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Clintwood VA, verify that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Clintwood VA?

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

Clintwood, Virginia

Clintwood is a town in Dickenson County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,414 at the 2010 census,[4] with an estimated population of 1,343 in 2014.[5] It is the county seat of Dickenson County.[6]

Although originally called "Holly Creek" after a small stream that runs through the town, it was later named "Clintwood" after Major Henry Clinton Wood, a Confederate officer in the 37th Virginia Infantry Regiment.[7]

In June 1948, the town of Clintwood elected an all-female town council for the period from 1948 to 1950. The "Petticoat Government", as it was nicknamed, implemented change in many areas, including cleanup of the town, eliminating parking problems, organizing a systematic garbage disposal system, eliminating several traffic hazards, organizing the town's fire department, and purchasing a fire truck. The "Petticoat Government" received the attention of Lady Astor, a member of the British Parliament who expressed a desire to visit Clintwood to see how the experiment was going. The town was also featured in broadcasts by the Voice of America.[8][9]

Enrolling in the right HVAC school program is a crucial first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Trade Schools for HVAC. However, as we have addressed in this post, you should choose an Heating and Cooling vocational school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to look for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC technician in Clintwood VA.