Schools near Meridian MS<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Meridian MS area and throughout the United States to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of relevant qualifications when making school evaluations. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the initial 2 aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of HVAC trade schools in the Meridian MS area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as HVAC technology. Make certain that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion Rates. <\/strong>Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Meridian MS HVAC employers to help grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Meridian MS HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Meridian MS HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Meridian MS home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Meridian MS, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending HVAC School near Meridian MS?<\/h3>\nMeridian, Mississippi<\/h3>
Meridian is the sixth largest city in the state of Mississippi, United States.[2] It is the county seat of Lauderdale County and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. Along major highways, the city is 93\u00a0mi (150\u00a0km) east of Jackson, Mississippi; 154\u00a0mi (248\u00a0km) southwest of Birmingham, Alabama; 202\u00a0mi (325\u00a0km) northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana; and 231\u00a0mi (372\u00a0km) southeast of Memphis, Tennessee.<\/p>
Established in 1860, at the junction of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and Southern Railway of Mississippi, Meridian built an economy based on the railways and goods transported on them, and it became a strategic trading center. During the American Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman burned much of the city to the ground in the Battle of Meridian (February 1864). Rebuilt after the war, the city entered a \"Golden Age\". It became the largest city in Mississippi between 1890 and 1930, and a leading center for manufacturing in the South, with 44 trains arriving and departing daily. Union Station, built in 1906, is now a multi-modal center, with access to the Meridian Transit System, Greyhound Buses, and Trailways, averaging 242,360 passengers per year. Although the economy slowed with the decline of the railroad industry, the city has diversified, with healthcare, military, and manufacturing employing the most people in 2010. The population within the city limits, according to 2008 census estimates, is 38,232, but a population of 232,900 in a 45-mile (72\u00a0km) radius and 526,500 in a 65-mile (105\u00a0km) radius, of which 104,600 and 234,200 people respectively are in the labor force, feeds the economy of the city.<\/p>
The area is served by two military facilities, Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field, which employ over 4,000 people. NAS Meridian is home to the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy (RCTA) and the first local Department of Homeland Security in the state. Key Field is named after brothers Fred and Al Key, who set a world endurance flight record in 1935. The field is now home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard and a support facility for the 185th Aviation Brigade of the Army National Guard. Rush Foundation Hospital is the largest non-military employer in the region, employing 2,610 people. Among the city's many arts organizations and historic buildings are the Riley Center, the Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian Little Theatre, and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. Meridian was home to two Carnegie libraries, one for whites and one for African Americans. The Carnegie Branch Library, now demolished, was one of a number of Carnegie libraries built for blacks in the Southern United States during the segregation era.<\/p><\/div>\n