HVAC Schools Near Me in Ashburn GA 31714 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Select an HVAC School near Ashburn Georgia

Ashburn GA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to locate an HVAC technical school near Ashburn GA. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the right one to receive the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their choice based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Although these are significant considerations, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other factors 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 discuss how to select an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech in Ashburn GA

Ashburn GA HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional way for Ashburn GA HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the trade that are available. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency exam and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination 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. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that handle 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 might be mandated in your area, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you pick an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

Ashburn GA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of alternatives available for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, usually completed in just 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Ashburn GA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more exhaustive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to finish, some degrees incorporate 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 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 right credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and money that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Ashburn GA, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

attending HVAC Training School Online in Ashburn GA Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option to obtaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some Ashburn GA students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Ashburn and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family obligations have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Ashburn GA

Once you have picked the type of certificate or degree that you want to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Ashburn GA area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Ashburn GA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the school and program 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 obtain a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative 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 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 trade, but also that it has the network of Ashburn GA HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with local Ashburn GA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish 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 in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Ashburn GA HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Ashburn GA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with 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 fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Ashburn GA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain 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 emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Ashburn GA?

Ashburn, Georgia

The city of Ashburn is the county seat of Turner County, Georgia, United States. As of 2010, the city had a population of 3,792.[4] Ashburn's government is classified as a council/manager form of municipal government. The current city council members are Rhonda Walker, Tommy C. Bateman, Howard Jordan, and James A. Burks. The City Manager of Ashburn is Ben Taylor.

The town of Marion was founded in 1888, and changed its name to Ashburn when it was incorporated in 1890. Ashburn was designated seat of Turner County when it was established in 1905.[5] The community was named after W. W. Ashburn, a pioneer citizen.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 4,419 people, 1,624 households, and 1,117 families residing in the city. The population density was 978.6 people per square mile (377.5/km²). There were 1,846 housing units at an average density of 408.8 per square mile (157.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.22% African American, 32.59% White, 0.09% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 1.65% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.67% of the population.

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Pick the Right HVAC Trade School near Ashburn GA

Picking the right HVAC training course is a crucial first step toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling trade. As we have covered in this article, you should pick a vocational school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to look for are lots of 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 explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. 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 inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Ashburn GA.