HVAC Schools Near Me in Odell IL 60460 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Choose an HVAC Training Course near Odell Illinois

Odell IL HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to locate an HVAC technical school near Odell IL. But with so many to select from, how do you select the right one to receive the training that you need? Some future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are relevant factors to consider, 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 other benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to pick an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor in Odell IL

Odell IL HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not required, but a voluntary way for Odell IL HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are highly skilled and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are multiple recognized certifications within the trade that are offered. Below are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency exam and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience as well as a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for techs that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your location, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Schools

Odell IL HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are several choices available for HVAC instruction in a technical or vocational school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser period of time, usually accomplished in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each credential offered near Odell IL.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more comprehensive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually taking 2 years to finish, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to being taught 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 based on what your long term career goals are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Odell IL, later going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Odell IL Choosing an HVAC school online is one option to getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be participated in on the web, this approach may be a more practical solution for some Odell IL students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Odell and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more affordable. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Programs near Odell IL

When you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you wish to acquire, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC trade schools in the Odell IL area and all over the United States to choose from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Odell IL area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Odell IL HVAC employers to assist students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical 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 HVAC businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Odell IL HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Odell IL HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Odell IL residence. 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 desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger 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 students and instructors. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Odell IL, verify that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Odell IL?

Odell, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Odell has a total area of 1.126 square miles (2.92 km2), of which 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2) (or 98.58%) is land and 0.016 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 1.42%) is water.[3]

Odell was laid out by Sydney S. Morgan (25 January 1823 – 5 April 1884) [4] and Henry A. Gardner (2 April 1816 – 27 July 1875) on 10 August 1856.[5] Both men were railroad engineers who had worked on the survey and construction of what soon became the Chicago and Alton Railroad. For a time Sydney S. Morgan divided his time between Joliet and Odell, but soon settled in Odell on a permanent basis where he became the town's chief promoter.[6] Gardner was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts and had begun his railroad career working as a rodman on an extension of the Great Western Railroad in Massachusetts. He rose quickly through the ranks until he became chief engineer of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad. Gardner came west in 1853 to work assistant engineer to Oliver H. Lee on the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad, He purchased land near Dwight and later went on to become Chief Engineer on the Michigan Central Railroad. Gardner was never a resident of Odell.[7] The town was platted when it became clear that the railroad would pass through their land. This Railroad was originally known as the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad, but quickly became The Chicago Alton and St. Louis, and then the Chicago and Alton. An excursion train ran through the town on 4 July 1854 regular service began in August 1854. Before the coming of the railroad, the land which became Odell Township was completely unsettled. Between 1852 and 1855 almost all of the land in the township was entered and farms were rapidly developed. The land on which the town would soon be erected had been first purchased from the government by. James C. Spencer and Henry A. Gardner on 4 May 1853. Through a series of quick transactions, Spencer sold his land to William H. Odell who then transferred it to Sydney S. Morgan.[8]

The town was surveyed by Thomas F. Norton, deputy surveyor of Livingston County. The railroad had been granted a 100-foot-wide (30 m) swath of land extending diagonally through the town. This presented a problem in town design, which was solved at Odell by aligning the entire Original Town with the tracks. A similar problem was presented by several towns along this railroad. Unlike the Toledo Peoria and Western Railroad, built through Livingston County at about the same time, a standard plan with shared street names does not seem to have been used along the Chicago and Mississippi.[9] Lots sold from twenty to thirty dollars, with twenty being more common.[10] Where the tracks passed through the town, the land used by the railroad was widened an additional 100 yards on both sides of the tracks, to create railroad grounds, although at Odell they were not labeled as such. This kind of widening of railroad property at townsites was a common feature of railroad towns built in the 1850s and may be seen at places like Dwight, Towanda, McLean, Fairbury and Chatsworth; it became less common with later railroad towns. The depot at Odell was on the north side of the tracks and the two early elevators on the south side. The Original Town included twenty-four numbered blocks, each of which contained up to twenty lots. There was no central public square designated on the plat. The original town plan remains substantially unaltered to this day.[11]

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Select the Right HVAC Certification Training near Odell IL

Picking the right HVAC training course is a critical first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning field. As we have discussed in this post, you need to select a technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are lots of 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 tour the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and whether night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed 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 proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Odell IL.