Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next step is to find an HVAC vocational school near Bellevue OH. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the best one to receive the training that you require? Many potential students will make their selection based solely 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 investigate. Some of the other things that you need to investigate are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional criteria will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

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

Becoming an HVAC Specialist in Bellevue OH

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, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Bellevue OH HVAC specialists to establish that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of expertise. There are multiple respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Following are some of the significant ones.

• North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
• HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
• EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be required in your area, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

There are a variety of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, often achieved in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each option offered near Bellevue OH.

• 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 employment within the industry.
• Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring two years to complete, some degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
• Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards 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 learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be based on what your future career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Bellevue OH, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one approach in attaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Many 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 on the web, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Bellevue OH students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even commuting expenses from Bellevue and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Trade Schools near Bellevue OH

After you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you would like to acquire, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the Bellevue OH area and all over the Country to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 aspects you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  Many HVAC technical programs in the Bellevue OH 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 pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 finish the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may result in 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 a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Bellevue OH HVAC employers to assist students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Bellevue OH HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Bellevue OH HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Bellevue OH home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Bellevue OH, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Bellevue OH?

Choose the Right HVAC Trade School near Bellevue OH

Finding the ideal HVAC training course is a critical first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling field. As we have addressed in this post, you should select a trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate 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 educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Bellevue OH.

More Fabulous Cities in Ohio

Business Results 1 - 10 of 19

Gilbert Heating & Air Conditioning

2 Reviews

Plumbing, Fireplace Services, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

2121 Cleveland Rd, Sandusky, OH 44870

ABTECH Mechanical HVAC

1 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Plumbing, Air Duct Cleaning

Phone:

10 Main Aly, Monroeville, OH 44847

Hartland Mechanical

2 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

9507 Milan Rd, Milan, OH 44846

Norwalk Heating

2 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

192 1/2 Akron Rd, Norwalk, OH 44857

G B Plumbing and Heating

1 Reviews

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

Phone:

1929 Seneca St, Sandusky, OH 44870

Windau Inc Plbg-Htg & Air Cond

1 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

221 E Water St, Sandusky, OH 44870

Hohler Furnace & Sheet Metal

1 Reviews

Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC, Air Duct Cleaning

Phone:

110 Decatur St, Sandusky, OH 44870

Ohler & Holzhauer

2 Reviews

Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

216 Madison St, Port Clinton, OH 43452

Windau Inc Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning

1 Reviews

Plumbing

Phone:

221 E Water St, Sandusky, OH 44870

John Starcher Enterprises

2 Reviews

Plumbing, Electricians, Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC

Phone:

802 W Main St, Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440

 

The post HVAC Schools Near Me in Bellevue OH 44811 appeared first on Become an HVAC Technician.