HVAC Schools Near Me in Bowdon GA 30108 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Pick an HVAC Training Course near Bowdon Georgia

Bowdon GA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Bowdon GA. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the ideal one to get the training that you need? Some future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Although these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other details that you need to research are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

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Becoming an HVAC Tech in Bowdon GA

Bowdon 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 technicians specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional way for Bowdon GA HVAC specialists to establish that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the trade that are available. Here are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a competency examination and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be required in your area, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s essential that you enroll in an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

Bowdon GA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are several alternatives offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser period of time, typically accomplished in as little as 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Bowdon GA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more detailed understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring two years to finish, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, along with the time and financial resources 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 field in Bowdon GA, later returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Bowdon GA Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option to getting your education and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended via the internet, this approach may be a more accessible solution for many Bowdon GA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other traditional alternatives. Even travelling expenses from Bowdon and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make schooling more affordable. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your busy schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Trade Schools near Bowdon GA

As soon as you have picked the type of degree or certificate that you would like to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Bowdon GA area and all over the USA to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first 2 aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational programs in the Bowdon GA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing 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 program be accredited for it to be approved 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Bowdon GA HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade 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 comparing have referring relationships with local Bowdon GA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Bowdon GA HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Bowdon GA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Bowdon GA, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, 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 because of work, illness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Bowdon GA?

Bowdon, Georgia

Bowdon Municipal Court changed some of its practices in 2015 after Judge Richard A. Diment was shown in recordings demanding payment in exchange for avoiding jail.[9] Later, in a New York Times article, Judge Diment claimed that he had never actually jailed someone for failing to pay a fine. Judge Diment's daughter described him as a proponent of civil rights.[10]

Bowdon has generally mild winters, with highs averaging in the low to mid 50s and lows around 32. Usually there are one or two days each winter when lows drop below 15. Snow is infrequent, averaging about 2" a winter. Some winters however, experience no snowfall. Ice is more common than snow. Rainfall is usually plentiful in the winter. Although severe weather is not very common, it does happen in the winter. The most recent severe weather event occurred on February 26, 2008 when an EF3 tornado hit an area about four miles north of Bowdon. The fall and spring months tend to bring the nicest weather, with numerous sunny days. Highs in the spring average in the 70s and lows average in the 40s and 50s. There is often severe weather in the spring, with occasionally a tornado. Fall tends to be the nicest season, with plentiful sunshine and highs in the 60s and 70s. Towards the end of fall, lows can drop below 30. Summer is often very humid and hot, although the heat is relieved by afternoon thunderstorms which occur almost daily. The summer of 2007 was one of the hottest on record with several days of highs above 100. Highs in the summer are generally around 90 with lows in the 60s. On May 11, 2008 Bowdon was hit by a series of tornadoes known as the "Mother's Day Storm" with a few reported injuries, but no deaths.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,959 people, 815 households, and 543 families residing in the city. The population density was 576.5 people per square mile (222.5/km²). There were 893 housing units at an average density of 262.8 per square mile (101.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.87% White, 25.17% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 1.23% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.40% of the population.

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Enroll in the Right HVAC Training Classes near Bowdon GA

Enrolling in the right HVAC training course is a crucial beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning industry. As we have discussed in this article, you need to choose a vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other factors to look for are ample hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to go to 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 teaching and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling options and if night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Bowdon GA.