HVAC Schools Near Me in Picayune MS 39466 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Select an HVAC School near Picayune Mississippi

Picayune MS HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next action is to look for an HVAC trade school near Picayune MS. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to receive the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are important concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. Just some of the other things 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. Those and additional benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician in Picayune MS

Picayune MS 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 contractors specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for Picayune MS HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are exceptionally proficient and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are several respected certifications within the field that are offered. Here are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a competency examination and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience along with 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 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be required in your location, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Classes

Picayune MS HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of alternatives offered 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 minimum period of time, typically accomplished in as little as 6 months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each credential offered near Picayune MS.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial 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 understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually taking 2 years to finish, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling 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, along with the time and money that you have to commit. One possibility is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Picayune MS, subsequently returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

attending HVAC Training School Online in Picayune MS Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one approach to getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate 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 may be attended on the web, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Picayune MS students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Picayune and study supplies may be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Classes near Picayune MS

As soon as you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you desire to earn, either online or on campus, you can begin to limit your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Picayune MS area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the first 2 factors you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Picayune MS area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make sure that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Picayune MS HVAC employers to assist students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Picayune MS 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 regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Picayune MS HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Picayune MS residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Picayune MS, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Picayune MS?

Picayune, Mississippi

Picayune (/pɪkəˈjuːn/ pik-ə-YOON) is the largest city in Pearl River County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 10,878 at the 2010 census. Picayune was added to the New Orleans metropolitan area in 2014. The city is located approximately 45 miles (72 km) from New Orleans, Hattiesburg and Gulfport-Biloxi. The Stennis Space Center is 10 miles (16 km) away.

Picayune was incorporated in 1904, purportedly named by Eliza Jane Poitevent Nicholson in 1884, the owner and publisher of the New Orleans Daily Picayune, a newspaper named for the Spanish coin. The post office contains a mural, Lumber Regions of Mississippi, painted by Donald H. Robertson in 1940. Federally commissioned murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.[2]

While Picayune received extensive damage from Hurricane Katrina, it was not as severe as in other nearby cities. This has caused it to become the permanent home for many who relocated from the New Orleans area and from the Mississippi Gulf Coast – who were seeking a safer home site with easy commuting to those areas.

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Pick the Right HVAC Training Course near Picayune MS

Finding the ideal HVAC training program is a critical first step toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling field. As we have discussed in this post, you should pick a technical school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art 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 current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available 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 detailed 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 proper training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Picayune MS.