Air Conditioning Training School Newbury Park CA

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling Program near Newbury Park California

air conditioner condensers in Newbury Park CA Once you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Newbury Park CA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the ideal one to obtain the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their decision based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. A few of the other things that you need to research 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 covered in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Professional

Newbury Park CA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional way for Newbury Park CA HVAC techs to prove that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Following are a few of the important 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 together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s essential that you pick an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Classes

radiator heater in Newbury Park CA home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually completed in just six months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training 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 Newbury Park CA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to complete, a number of degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Newbury Park CA, eventually returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Newbury Park CA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option in attaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be participated in online, this option may be a more accessible solution for many Newbury Park CA students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Newbury Park and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Newbury Park CA HVAC training schools Once you have picked the type of degree or certificate that you would like to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to decrease your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Newbury Park CA area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of key qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical schools in the Newbury Park CA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Newbury Park CA HVAC employers to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

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 Heating and Cooling businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Newbury Park CA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Newbury Park CA HVAC company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Newbury Park CA residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees 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 attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Newbury Park CA, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Newbury Park CA?

Perhaps you are considering enrolling in an HVAC training program in the Newbury Park California area. If so, you may find the following background information about the location of your new school campus both interesting and informative.

Newbury Park, California

Newbury Park is a town[4][5][6] located mostly within the western Thousand Oaks city limits in Ventura County, California, United States. It makes up all of ZIP code 91320, and is within area code 805. Lying within the Conejo Valley in the northwestern part of the Greater Los Angeles Area, Newbury Park abuts the Santa Monica Mountains. It is approximately 35 miles (56 km) from Downtown Los Angeles and less than 7 mi (11 km) from the Los Angeles County border in Westlake Village. The closest coastal city is Malibu, 22 mi (35 km) from Newbury Park, which may be reached through winding roads or hiking trails crossing the Santa Monica Mountains. About 28,000 of Thousand Oaks' 110,000 residents reside in Newbury Park.[7] Newbury Park makes up around 40 percent of Thousand Oaks' total land area.[8]

Newbury Park, along with Thousand Oaks proper, have numerous times ranked among the safest and also wealthiest communities in the United States.[9][10]Money Magazine has ranked Newbury Park as one of the most affluent cities in the United States. It has the 11th highest per-capita income and the fourth-highest median household income in the country.[11] As of 2013, the median household income in Newbury Park is $107,302, compared to $60,190 for California as a whole and $53,046 nationwide.[12][13]

Timberville was a previous 19th century name for Newbury Park.[14][15][16] Newbury Park is named after Egbert Starr Newbury, who was the founder of Newbury Park,[17][18][19] as well as the first postmaster in the Conejo Valley in 1875.[20][21][22] Egbert Starr Newbury called his ranch here "Newbury Park", which ultimately became the name for the entire town.[23][24][25] Egbert Starr Newbury and his family owned thousands of acres in the Conejo Valley, but only lived in Newbury Park for a total of six years. He moved from Michigan to Southern California for health reasons in 1871, opened Conejo Valley's first post office in 1875, but left California only two years later. The Newbury Park Post Office has changed locations numerous times but the Newbury Park name has survived and is still used even though much of the area was incorporated into the city of Thousand Oaks.[26]

Air Conditioning Training School Newbury Park CA

Picking the right HVAC school program is a critical first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Air Conditioning Training School. However, as we have covered in this article, you should pick an Heating and Cooling school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to look for are plenty of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak 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 choices and if evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for evaluating 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 technician in Newbury Park CA.