Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near Landisville PA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the best one to receive the training that you need? A number of potential students will make their selection based entirely 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 investigate. Just some of the other things that you need to investigate 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 addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

[campusexplorer header_text=”Find HVAC Training Schools Near You!” aos=”53237562″ concentration=”16D42C74″ tracking=”HVAC-D”]

How to Become an HVAC Tech in Landisville PA

HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not required, but an optional means for Landisville PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Here are a few of the important ones.

• North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency exam and can be earned in one or more specialties.
• HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience together with passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
• EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification offered, 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 desire to acquire certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

There are a number of options offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum period of time, often accomplished in just 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will provide more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each option offered near Landisville PA.

• Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
• Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking two years to finish, many degrees include an internship or work-study program.
• Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations 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 trade in Landisville PA, later going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one alternative in getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended on the web, this option may be a more practical solution for some Landisville PA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional alternatives. Even driving expenses from Landisville and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Schools near Landisville PA

As soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to acquire, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Landisville PA area and across the Country to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the first two variables you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  A large number of HVAC trade programs in the Landisville PA area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates.  Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 also that it has the network of Landisville PA HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous HVAC technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Landisville PA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Landisville PA HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Landisville PA residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and find out 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 reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Landisville PA, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Landisville PA?

Choose the Right HVAC Training Classes near Landisville PA

Selecting the right HVAC training program is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling field. As we have discussed in this post, you should pick a technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to search for are lots of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Landisville PA.

More Fabulous Cities in Pennsylvania

Business Results 1 - 10 of 169

Sheaffer Mechanical

12 Reviews

Electricians, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Plumbing

Phone:

1653 Lititz Pike, Ste 156, Lancaster, PA 17601

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning

20 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

516 Running Pump Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601

Ressler & Mateer

2 Reviews

Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Water Heater Installation/Repair

Phone:

72 Industrial Rd, Brownstown, PA 17522

Brubaker

4 Reviews

Appliances, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Contractors

Phone:

1284 Rohrerstown Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601

Neffsville Plumbing & Heating

6 Reviews

Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

1208 Harrisburg Pike, Ste 101, Lancaster, PA 17603

Haldeman Mechanical

1 Reviews

Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Water Heater Installation/Repair

Phone:

1148 Old Line Rd, Manheim, PA 17545

Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical

13 Reviews

Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Electricians

Phone:

1184 Enterprise Rd, East Petersburg, PA 17520

Comfortable Design

3 Reviews

Contractors, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Plumbing

Phone:

125 N 4th St, Wrightsville, PA 17368

Dutch Heating

1 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Electricians, Plumbing

Phone:

615 W Market St, York, PA 17401

DMV Mechanical Company

1 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

919 N Lime St, Lancaster, PA 17602

 

The post HVAC Schools Near Me in Landisville PA 17538 appeared first on Become an HVAC Technician.