HVAC Schools Near Me in Selinsgrove PA 17870

How to Find the Right HVAC Certification Course near Selinsgrove Pennsylvania

Selinsgrove PA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to look for an HVAC technical school near Selinsgrove PA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the best one to get the training that you require? Many potential students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are significant considerations, they are not the only ones to take into account. 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 in this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist in Selinsgrove PA

Selinsgrove PA 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 air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Selinsgrove PA HVAC techs to prove that they are highly qualified and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are many recognized certifications within the trade that are offered. Here are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is achieved by passing a competency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s essential that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Classes

Selinsgrove PA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often achieved in just six months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each option offered near Selinsgrove PA.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally taking two years to complete, many degrees include 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Selinsgrove PA, eventually returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Selinsgrove PA Attending an HVAC program online is one option to obtaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Nearly 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 as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, this option may be a more convenient solution for some Selinsgrove PA students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even commuting expenses from Selinsgrove and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Schools near Selinsgrove PA

As soon as you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you would like to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the Selinsgrove PA area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of key qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two variables you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Selinsgrove PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Confirm that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 industry, but also that it has the network of Selinsgrove PA HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC training programs are taught together 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 Heating and Cooling companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Selinsgrove PA HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Selinsgrove PA HVAC company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Selinsgrove PA home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Selinsgrove PA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Attending HVAC School near Selinsgrove PA?

Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Selinsgrove is geographically located in the middle of the Susquehanna River Valley in Central Pennsylvania, along U.S. Routes 11 and 15, 36.4 miles (58.6 km) north of Harrisburg and 5.7 miles (9.2 km) southwest of Sunbury. It is the home of Susquehanna University.

The Penns Creek Massacre on October 16, 1755, was the first Indian hostility event in the region after General Braddock's defeat in the Seven Year War.[6] A marker on the bank of Penns Creek north of Selinsgrove commemorates the massacre of 14 settlers and the capture of 11 more. In response to this and other Indian actions that day, Fort Augusta, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, the largest of Pennsylvania's frontier forts, was built in 1756 as a result of this conflict.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2). Selinsgrove borders the Susquehanna River. The portion of the borough that is located between Penns Creek and the Susquehanna River is known locally as the "Isle of Que" (pronounced queue).

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Pick the Right HVAC Training Course near Selinsgrove PA

Finding the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning industry. As we have addressed in this post, you should pick a school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC trade. Other things to look for are lots of hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and if evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC technician in Selinsgrove PA.