HVAC Schools Near Me in Clarendon Hills IL 60514

How to Select an HVAC School near Clarendon Hills Illinois

Clarendon Hills IL HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next step is to find an HVAC technical school near Clarendon Hills IL. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the right one to obtain the training that you need? Some future students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. While these are relevant considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other details 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 other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Professional in Clarendon Hills IL

Clarendon Hills IL HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative means for Clarendon Hills IL HVAC specialists to prove that they are exceptionally qualified and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are many acknowledged certifications within the trade that are offered. Following 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 proficiency exam and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers 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 as well as a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory 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.

Because licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also wish to acquire certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Classes

Clarendon Hills IL HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of alternatives available for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, typically completed in just six months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge in the job market and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief explanation of each credential offered near Clarendon Hills IL.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to finish, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards 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.

Picking the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Clarendon Hills IL, subsequently returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

attending HVAC Training School Online in Clarendon Hills IL Attending an HVAC program online is one possibility to obtaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Many also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be participated in online, this approach may be a more convenient solution for some Clarendon Hills IL students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even driving expenses from Clarendon Hills and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Training Programs near Clarendon Hills IL

Once you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you would like to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Clarendon Hills IL area and across the United States to choose from. That’s why it is imperative to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two variables you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational programs in the Clarendon Hills IL area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Clarendon Hills IL HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Clarendon Hills IL HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Clarendon Hills IL HVAC contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Clarendon Hills IL home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher 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 some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Clarendon Hills IL, verify that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Clarendon Hills IL?

Clarendon Hills, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Clarendon Hills has a total area of 1.81 square miles (4.69 km2), of which 1.8 square miles (4.66 km2) (or 99.45%) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.55%) is water.[5]

As of the census of 2006, there were 8,572 people, 2,836 households, and 2,056 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,377.1 people per square mile (1,688.6/km²). There were 2,939 housing units at an average density of 1,690.4 per square mile (652.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 94.07% White, 0.84% African American, 0.01% Native American, 3.52% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.37% of the population.[7]

There were 2,836 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.21.

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Enroll in the Right HVAC Training Classes near Clarendon Hills IL

Finding the right HVAC training course is a critical beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling field. As we have addressed in this article, you should choose a vocational school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to look for are plenty of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling options and if evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Clarendon Hills IL.