HVAC Schools Near Me in Auburn NH 03032 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Find the Right HVAC School near Auburn New Hampshire

Auburn NH HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next action is to choose an HVAC vocational school near Auburn NH. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the right one to get the training that you need? Many potential students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Even though these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Just some of the other details that you need to research are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and other criteria will be covered in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to pick an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

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How to Become an HVAC Pro in Auburn NH

Auburn NH HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, though each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but an alternative means for Auburn NH HVAC techs to establish that they are exceptionally skilled and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the industry that are offered. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency examination and can be acquired 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 examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the program you choose readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

Auburn NH HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of options available for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, usually achieved in as little as 6 months, however some programs 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 might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Auburn NH.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to finish, some degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, together 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 trade in Auburn NH, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Auburn NH Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option to attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be participated in on the web, this option may be a more practical solution for many Auburn NH students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are more economical than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Auburn and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Auburn NH

When you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you desire to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Auburn NH area and throughout the United States to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Auburn NH area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive 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 sure that the school and program 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 ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Auburn NH HVAC employers to assist grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Auburn NH HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Auburn NH HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Auburn NH residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Auburn NH, verify that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Auburn NH?

Auburn, New Hampshire

Auburn was originally settled by Native Americans in 1624. It was a fishing settlement called by Native Americans "Massabesic" (the current name of the town's largest lake). British settlers arrived in the area in 1720 and made peace with the Native Americans until the French and Indian War. The Massabesic settlement was destroyed, and the nearby town of Chester claimed the land. It was known as Chester Woods, Chester West Parish, Long Meadow,[3] and then Auburn. Auburn became an independent town on June 25, 1845,[3] with a population of 1,200 people. As with Auburn, Maine, Auburn, Massachusetts and Auburn, New York, the name is from Oliver Goldsmith's popular 18th-century poem, "The Deserted Village", which begins:

Auburn was served by the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad, which later became the Portsmouth Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad.[3] Auburn was home to a small passenger depot at one time, but by the mid 1900s most rail activity was through traffic as Auburn had few on-line industries. The last freight trains passed through in the early 1980s. The track was abandoned in 1982 and subsequently torn up between 1983 and 1985.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.7 square miles (74.3 km2), of which 25.2 sq mi (65.3 km2) is land and 3.5 sq mi (9.1 km2), or 12.20%, is water.[1]Massabesic Lake, located in the western part of Auburn and the eastern part of Manchester, is the largest body of water in Auburn and serves as the city water supply for Manchester. The lake is fed by numerous tributaries, most notable being Sucker Brook, which enters the northeast end of the lake near the Auburn town center and itself drains several lakes, including Tower Hill Pond, Clark Pond, and Little Massabesic Lake. Cohas Brook flows through the eastern portion of Auburn and eventually (in Manchester) receives the outflow of Massabesic Lake before flowing west to the Merrimack River. Auburn lies fully within the Merrimack River watershed.[4] Three hills, all overlooking Massabesic Lake, can lay potential claim to being Auburn's highest point: Mount Miner, at 582 feet (177 m) above sea level, located north of the lake; Mine Hill, greater than 580 ft (180 m), above the east shore; and Mount Misery, greater than 580 feet, to the southeast.

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Select the Right HVAC Training Classes near Auburn NH

Selecting the ideal HVAC training course is an important beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling industry. As we have discussed in this article, you need to pick a technical 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 lots of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and if evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Auburn NH.