HVAC Schools Near Me in Lincoln ME 04457 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Find the Right HVAC Training Course near Lincoln Maine

Lincoln ME HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next action is to look for an HVAC vocational school near Lincoln ME. But with so many to pick from, how do you choose the ideal one to get the training that you require? Many potential students will make their selection based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are important considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few 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 addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician in Lincoln ME

Lincoln ME HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative way for Lincoln ME HVAC technicians to establish that they are exceptionally skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are several recognized certifications within the industry that are offered. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency examination and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be required in your location, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Classes

Lincoln ME HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of alternatives available 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 minimum period of time, typically completed in just six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Lincoln ME.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to finish, some 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 or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four 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.

Picking the right credential program will be based on what your long term 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 Lincoln ME, later 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 Lincoln ME Choosing an HVAC program online is one possibility to obtaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number 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 attended via the internet, this approach may be a more practical solution for many Lincoln ME students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even travelling expenses from Lincoln and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of 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, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Schools near Lincoln ME

Once you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you want to obtain, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Lincoln ME area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the first two factors you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Lincoln ME area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Lincoln ME HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Lincoln ME HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lincoln ME HVAC company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lincoln ME residence. Remember that if you decide to attend 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 one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure 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 Lincoln ME, confirm that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Lincoln ME?

Lincoln, Maine

Lincoln developed around a water powered sawmill on the east bank of the Penobscot River.[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.65 square miles (193.34 km2), of which, 67.83 square miles (175.68 km2) of it is land and 6.82 square miles (17.66 km2) is water.[1]Rollins Mountain is located in Lincoln. The town has 13 different ponds.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 5,085 people, 2,045 households, and 1,415 families residing in the town. The population density was 75.0 inhabitants per square mile (29.0/km2). There were 2,866 housing units at an average density of 42.3 per square mile (16.3/km2). The ethnic makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 2,045 households of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.87.

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Select the Right HVAC Training Classes near Lincoln ME

Selecting the right HVAC training course is a critical beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling industry. As we have addressed in this post, you should pick a school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to search for are ample practical training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Lincoln ME.