HVAC Schools Near Me in Glen Haven CO 80532

Bert — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 20:00:28 +0000

How to Find the Right HVAC Certification Class near Glen Haven Colorado

Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Glen Haven CO. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to obtain the training that you require? Some prospective students will make their choice based entirely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. 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. These and additional criteria will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

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How to Become an HVAC Specialist in Glen Haven CO

HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the trade 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 skilled tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional way for Glen Haven CO HVAC technicians to prove that they are exceptionally qualified and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are many recognized certifications within the industry that are offered. Below are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience as well as a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be required in your location, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Classes

There are several choices offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often accomplished in just six months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each credential offered near Glen Haven CO.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial 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. Typically requiring two years to complete, some 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 or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, in addition to 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 Glen Haven CO, eventually going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one possibility in obtaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended on the web, this approach may be a more convenient solution for many Glen Haven CO students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Glen Haven and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Training Programs near Glen Haven CO

After you have picked the type of certificate or degree that you would like to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to narrow down your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Glen Haven CO area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the initial 2 variables you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Glen Haven CO area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Glen Haven CO HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Glen Haven CO HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Glen Haven CO HVAC contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Glen Haven CO home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Glen Haven CO, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Glen Haven CO?

Glen Haven, Colorado

Glen Haven is located at 40°27′13″N 105°26′56″W / 40.45361°N 105.44889°W / 40.45361; -105.44889 (40.453740,-105.448837). Situated in Roosevelt National Forest east of Rocky Mountain National Park, Fox Creek and West Creek join the North Fork Big Thompson River near downtown Glen Haven, which then flows through Devil's Gulch, receiving Miller Fork, and joins the Big Thompson River at Drake. Larimer County Road 43, the only road access to Glen Haven, takes a northeasterly route out of Estes Park, turning to the southeast near Glen Haven and then follows the North Fork downstream to Drake, where it terminates at US Highway 34. Many of the roads off County Road 43, called Devil's Gulch Road, are privately owned.[3]

In the early 1890s, the Knapp family from Illinois built a sawmill near Harding Heights, then moved it first to Miller Fork and then to the point now known as Glen Haven in 1897. The Boulder Presbytery, with assistance from the Knapp family, formed an association in 1903 and sold lots for a summer resort called Glen Haven. The association built the Glen Haven General Store in 1921.[4] Under the direction of Ira Knapp, a lodge-style hotel was built called The Homestead, and opened in 1938. The Homestead became known as the Inn at Glen Haven and was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times travel article in 1986.[5] The Trail's End camps of Cheley Colorado Camps are also located near Glen Haven.[6]

Glen Haven's location in a narrow valley puts the area at risk for flooding. The Big Thompson Flood of 1976 moved the town hall several feet off its foundation.[7] In September 2013, approximately 80 percent of Glen Haven's downtown was destroyed in the 2013 Colorado floods.[8][9] Access to the town was cut off by the destruction of Larimer County Road 43 on both sides of town; the section connecting to the town of Drake and US 34 was reopened on December 6, 2013.[10]

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Choose the Right HVAC Certification Training near Glen Haven CO

Enrolling in the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling field. As we have addressed in this post, you should choose a vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are lots of hands-on training and modern facilities. You should 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 training and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling choices and if evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed 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 dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Glen Haven CO.