Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Training North Fort Myers FL

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling College near North Fort Myers Florida

air conditioner condensers in North Fort Myers FL Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to look for an HVAC technical school near North Fort Myers FL. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the ideal one to get the training that you need? A number of prospective students will make their choice based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other things 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. These and additional criteria will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Technician

HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however every state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional means for North Fort Myers FL HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are many respected certifications within the industry that are available. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a competency examination and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing might be required in your area, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s essential that you pick an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the program you select prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Schools

radiator heater in North Fort Myers FL home There are a variety of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually achieved in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each option offered near North Fort Myers FL.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more comprehensive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking two years to complete, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in North Fort Myers FL, later going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

North Fort Myers FL student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one alternative to attaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be attended via the internet, this approach may be a more convenient solution for many North Fort Myers FL students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus options. Even commuting expenses from North Fort Myers and study supplies can be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask North Fort Myers FL HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you want to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC trade schools in the North Fort Myers FL area and all over the USA to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial two aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical programs in the North Fort Myers FL area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of North Fort Myers FL HVAC employers to help students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous HVAC technical 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. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local North Fort Myers FL HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local North Fort Myers FL HVAC contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your North Fort Myers FL home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near North Fort Myers FL, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near North Fort Myers FL?

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

North Fort Myers, Florida

North Fort Myers is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 39,407 people, 19,788 households, and 12,539 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 764.2 people per square mile (295.1/km²). There were 25,284 housing units at an average density of 480.5/sq mi (185.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.49% White, 0.93% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.90% of the population.

There were 19,654 households out of which 12.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.47.

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Training North Fort Myers FL

Picking the right HVAC school course 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 and Refrigeration Training. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to pick an HVAC training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to look for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and if night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in North Fort Myers FL.