HVAC Schools Near Me in Eddington ME 04428

How to Enroll In an HVAC Certification Class near Eddington Maine

Eddington ME HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next action is to find an HVAC trade school near Eddington ME. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the right one to get the training that you require? A number of future students will make their choice based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few of the other things that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to pick an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and a/c specialist does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

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Becoming an HVAC Professional in Eddington ME

Eddington ME 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 contractors specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but an optional means for Eddington ME HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are exceptionally proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of acknowledged certifications within the industry that are available. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is achieved by passing a competency exam and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification offered, 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 desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

Eddington ME HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are several alternatives offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum period of time, often completed in just six months, although some courses 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 might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each option offered near Eddington ME.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to complete, some degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Eddington ME, subsequently going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Eddington ME Attending an HVAC program online is one approach to obtaining your education and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be participated in online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for many Eddington ME students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Eddington and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your active schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Eddington ME

Once you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you would like to obtain, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Eddington ME area and all over the United States to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two factors you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade schools in the Eddington ME area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it 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 might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Eddington ME HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Eddington ME HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form 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 working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Eddington ME HVAC contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Eddington ME residence. Remember 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 personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Eddington ME, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Eddington ME?

Eddington, Maine

The town was founded by and named after Jonathan Eddy, a militia captain in the French and Indian War, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, and the first magistrate in the area.[5] Eddy and most of the town's other original settlers migrated to the town from Nova Scotia, where they had supported the rebel cause against the majority British Loyalist population. Eddy tried to make Nova Scotia - the 14th American colony - join the revolution by leading the Siege of Fort Cumberland. After the siege failed, Eddy and others emigrated to the District of Maine and were given land grants in present-day Eddington.[citation needed] Later in the war, Eddy successfully defended Maine from a British attack in the Battle of Machias (1777).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.54 square miles (68.74 km2), of which, 24.99 square miles (64.72 km2) of it is land and 1.55 square miles (4.01 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,225 people, 930 households, and 643 families residing in the town. The population density was 89.0 inhabitants per square mile (34.4/km2). There were 1,037 housing units at an average density of 41.5 per square mile (16.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

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Choose the Right HVAC Certification Training near Eddington ME

Choosing the right HVAC training course is a critical first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning field. As we have covered in this post, you should choose a school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to look for are lots of hands-on 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 faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling options and if evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance 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 choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC technician in Eddington ME.