HVAC Schools Near Me in Blairsville GA 30512

How to Enroll In an HVAC Training Class near Blairsville Georgia

Blairsville GA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near Blairsville GA. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the right one to obtain the training that you require? Many future students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few 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. These and other criteria will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional in Blairsville GA

Blairsville GA HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Blairsville GA HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the field that are available. Below are some 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 examination and may 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 exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you select prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

Blairsville GA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually achieved in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each credential offered near Blairsville GA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to complete, many 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to learning 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 based on what your long term career objectives are, along with the time and money that you have to commit. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Blairsville GA, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Blairsville GA Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one possibility to attaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Blairsville GA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even commuting expenses from Blairsville and study materials may be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Schools near Blairsville GA

When you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you wish to acquire, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Blairsville GA area and across the USA to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Blairsville GA area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct 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 graduates, which can produce 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 field, but also that it has the network of Blairsville GA HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Blairsville GA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Blairsville GA HVAC contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Blairsville GA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience 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 fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Blairsville GA, check that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Blairsville GA?

Blairsville, Georgia

Although the neighboring city of Dahlonega was known as the first site of gold in the United States, the Blairsville area was known to have the purest gold in the mountains. Assayers in Washington, D.C. could tell by looking that gold ore was from the Coosa Mines because it was “the yellowest gold” submitted and its brilliant color set it apart.[11]

Blairsville has a humid subtropical climate, yet due to its elevation of 1,883 feet (574 m), typically records far lower temperatures at night than what is encountered in much of the Southeastern U.S., and has slightly higher precipitation totals (56 inches or 1,420 millimetres annually) than most locations in the state; the average diurnal temperature variation exceeds 25 °F (14 °C) in each of the spring and autumn months. Snow usually occurs several times every year. The average annual snowfall is 4 inches.[12] The monthly daily mean temperature ranges from 36.8 °F (2.7 °C) in January to 73.3 °F (22.9 °C) in July. There are 7.6 days of 90 °F (32 °C) highs and 4.6 days where the high fails to rise above freezing annually.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 652 people residing in the city. The population density was 529 people per square mile (240.0/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the city was: White alone - 577 (88.5%), African American - 30 (4.6%), Hispanic - 30 (4.6%), Two or more other races - 10 (1.5%), American Indian alone - 4 (0.6%), Asian - 1 (0.2%).[16]

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Enroll in the Right HVAC Trade School near Blairsville GA

Enrolling in the ideal HVAC training program is a critical beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling industry. As we have discussed in this article, you should choose a school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are lots of practical training and modern facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and if night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Blairsville GA.