HVAC Schools Near Me in Farmingdale ME 04344

How to Find the Right HVAC School near Farmingdale Maine

Farmingdale ME HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Farmingdale ME. But with so many to pick from, how do you choose the right one to receive the training that you require? A number of future students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are relevant considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some 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 covered in more detail later within this article. But before we discuss how to select an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

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How to Become an HVAC Tech in Farmingdale ME

Farmingdale ME HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the trade 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 professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for Farmingdale ME HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Following are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience as well as a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be required in your location, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Training Programs

Farmingdale ME HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of choices available for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically accomplished in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each credential offered near Farmingdale ME.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually taking two years to complete, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, along with the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Farmingdale ME, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Farmingdale ME Attending an HVAC program online is one option in attaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be participated in online, this approach may be a more accessible solution for many Farmingdale ME students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even travelling expenses from Farmingdale and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to accommodate school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Farmingdale ME

When you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you desire to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to limit your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Farmingdale ME area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school assessments. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two aspects you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade programs in the Farmingdale ME area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can result in 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Farmingdale ME HVAC employers to help grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Farmingdale ME HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying 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 campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Farmingdale ME HVAC contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Farmingdale ME residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Farmingdale ME, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Farmingdale ME?

Farmingdale, Maine

In 1852, Farmingdale incorporated as a town,[4] combining parts of South Hallowell, North Gardiner and East/West Gardiner. Many businesses existed in Farmingdale, most of them along the Kennebec River. A major business was harvesting and selling ice worldwide. The Knickerbocker Ice Company (the largest ice company in the country), and the Marshall Ice Company had ice-houses at Bowman's Point.[5] The Knickerbocker Ice Company burned in 1894 or 1895 leaving only the chimney that stood until it was demolished in 1911 to make room for the Central Maine Power Plant.[6] Other businesses on the river in Farmingdale included shipyards, brickyards, pottery, and a glue factory. Commercial growth in ensuing years centered in Gardiner, Hallowell and Augusta, while Farmingdale never developed a town center to compare with those cities. Time, fires, floods and economic forces eventually removed the larger businesses. Today, Farmingdale exists largely as a strong and vibrant residential community whose residents work primarily in other cities. The distinction between the densely developed riverbanks and the open rural back-land remains. Structures that are on the National Register of Historic Places include the Peter Grant House,[7] and the Captain Nathaniel Stone House.[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.55 square miles (29.91 km2), of which, 11.24 square miles (29.11 km2) of it is land and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km2) is water.[1]

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the town was $51,344, and the median income for a family was $56,415. Males had a median income of $49,643 versus $29,391 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,015. About 18.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 0% of those age 65 or over.

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Pick the Right HVAC Training Course near Farmingdale ME

Finding the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling industry. As we have covered in this article, you should select a trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other things to search for are plenty of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Farmingdale ME.