HVAC Trade Schools Near Me in Shippenville PA 16254 Archives

How to Select an HVAC Certification Course near Shippenville Pennsylvania

Shippenville PA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Shippenville PA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the best one to obtain the training that you need? Many potential students will make their selection based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are important concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. A few of the other factors that you need to look into are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

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How to Become an HVAC Professional in Shippenville PA

Shippenville PA HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Shippenville PA HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are highly proficient and accomplished 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 technicians. The certification is earned by passing a competency exam and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be required in your location, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Training Programs

Shippenville PA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of options available for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically accomplished in as little as six months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Shippenville PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually taking 2 years to finish, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Shippenville PA, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Shippenville PA Choosing an HVAC program online is one approach to obtaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also provide 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 option may be a more accessible solution for some Shippenville PA students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even driving expenses from Shippenville and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make schooling more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Courses near Shippenville PA

As soon as you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you desire to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to decrease your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Shippenville PA area and all over the United States to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical programs in the Shippenville PA area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Verify that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of Shippenville PA HVAC employers to help grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Shippenville PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Shippenville PA HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Shippenville PA home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Shippenville PA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Shippenville PA?

Shippenville, Pennsylvania

Shippenville is located in northwestern Clarion County at 41°15′3″N 79°27′45″W / 41.25083°N 79.46250°W / 41.25083; -79.46250 (41.250919, -79.462534).[4]U.S. Route 322 passes through the borough, leading southeast 5 miles (8 km) to Clarion, the county seat, and northwest 23 miles (37 km) to Franklin. Interstate 80 is 5 miles (8 km) to the south via US 322 and Pennsylvania Route 66.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 505 people, 209 households, and 138 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,241.8 people per square mile (475.6/km²). There were 226 housing units at an average density of 555.7 per square mile (212.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.01% White, 0.59% Asian and 0.40% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.

There were 209 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

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Enroll in the Right HVAC Trade School near Shippenville PA

Choosing the right HVAC training program is a critical first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling trade. As we have covered in this post, you need to pick a trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to look for are lots of hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling options and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Shippenville PA.