HVAC Schools Near Me in Collinsville VA 24078

How to Select an HVAC Training Class near Collinsville Virginia

Collinsville VA 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 find an HVAC vocational school near Collinsville VA. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the right one to get the training that you need? Many prospective students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to take into account. 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 within this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC training program, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician in Collinsville VA

Collinsville VA 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 professionals specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Collinsville VA HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the industry that are offered. Following are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged 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 makes available 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 three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Schools

Collinsville VA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of choices available for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically accomplished in just 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each option offered near Collinsville VA.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more exhaustive understanding of heating and 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 geared more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 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 dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, along with the time and money that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Collinsville VA, later returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

attending HVAC Training School Online in Collinsville VA Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative in getting your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Many also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be attended on the web, this approach may be a more convenient solution for many Collinsville VA students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less costly than other traditional choices. Even commuting expenses from Collinsville and study supplies can 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 work or family obligations have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Programs near Collinsville VA

After you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you would like to acquire, 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 vocational schools in the Collinsville VA area and throughout the United States to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of key qualifications when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Collinsville VA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Collinsville VA HVAC employers to help grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Collinsville VA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Collinsville VA HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Collinsville VA home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Collinsville VA, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Collinsville VA?

Collinsville, Virginia

Collinsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,335 at the 2010 census, which was down from the 7,777 reported in 2000. It is part of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area. Collinsville is also where the administration building and county courthouse of Henry County are located (though nearby Martinsville - an independent city which is not technically part of the county - is usually identified as the county seat).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²), of which, 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.25%) is water.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 7,777 people, 3,466 households, and 2,197 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 988.1 people per square mile (381.5/km²). There were 3,758 housing units at an average density of 477.5/sq mi (184.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.84% White, 11.28% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.98% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.

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Pick the Right HVAC Certification Training near Collinsville VA

Choosing the right HVAC training program is a crucial beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling trade. As we have covered in this post, you should select a vocational school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to look for are plenty of practical training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction 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 assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Collinsville VA.