HVAC Schools Near Me in Sebago ME 04029 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Pick an HVAC School near Sebago Maine

Sebago ME HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next step is to look for an HVAC technical school near Sebago ME. But with so many to pick from, how do you pick the ideal one to get the training that you require? A number of future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other factors that you need to investigate are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. Those and additional benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to pick an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

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Becoming an HVAC Technician in Sebago ME

Sebago ME HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative way for Sebago ME HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are several respected certifications within the trade that are available. 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 achieved by passing a competency 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 examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs 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.

Considering that licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

Sebago ME HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are several alternatives available for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often accomplished in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Sebago ME.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more exhaustive understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to complete, many degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career objectives are, together with 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 trade in Sebago ME, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Sebago ME Attending an HVAC school online is one approach to obtaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be participated in online, this option may be a more practical solution for many Sebago ME students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Sebago and study materials may be lessened, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Certification Classes near Sebago ME

Once you have picked the type of certificate or degree that you would like to attain, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the Sebago ME area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the initial 2 variables you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC trade schools in the Sebago ME area have attained 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 pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training program 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 program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Sebago ME HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local Sebago ME HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Sebago ME HVAC contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Sebago ME home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand 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 with some 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 evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Sebago ME, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Sebago ME?

Sebago, Maine

Sebago is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,719 at the 2010 census.[4] It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

Originally called Flintstown, it was granted in 1774 by the Massachusetts General Court to survivors of Captain John Flint's company of soldiers from Concord, Massachusetts. It replaced a grant of 1735 that awarded them Township No. 3 (now Walpole, New Hampshire), but which was ruled invalid when the border between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was redrawn to satisfy prior claims by the descendants of John Mason. On June 23, 1802, Flintstown was incorporated as Baldwin. Then on February 10, 1826, Sebago was set off from Baldwin and incorporated as a separate town. It took the name of Sebago Lake. Land was annexed from Denmark in 1830, and taken in 1834 to help form Naples.[5]

Lumberjacks and woodsmen were the first European inhabitants of the area, but they left as soon as the first growth of pine was cut. It 1790, Joseph Lakin from Groton, Massachusetts, built a cabin, then returned with his family and possessions. The surface of the town is very uneven and generally rocky, so it was hard work to clear a farm for cultivation. But the soil was good and yielded abundant crops. Mills were built at water power sites, and products included long and short lumber, shooks, and boots and shoes. In 1832, the Cumberland and Oxford Canal opened, increasing trade between Sebago Lake and Portland. In the early 1870s, the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad carried tourists and freight to Sebago Lake Station in Standish, where steamboats took them to various landings around the lake. Inns, hotels and summer camps opened, and the town became a recreation area, which it remains today.[6]

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Enroll in the Right HVAC Trade School near Sebago ME

Finding the ideal HVAC training course is a critical beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling trade. As we have discussed in this article, you should choose a school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other factors to look for are plenty of practical training and modern facilities. You should go to each of the schools in person 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. Also, inquire about scheduling choices and whether night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Sebago ME.