Air Conditioner Technician School Port Saint Lucie FL

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling College near Port Saint Lucie Florida

air conditioner condensers in Port Saint Lucie FL Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to find an HVAC technical school near Port Saint Lucie FL. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the right one to get the training that you need? Some future students will make their decision based entirely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Although these are relevant considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few of the other details 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 additional benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician

HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional way for Port Saint Lucie FL HVAC techs to establish that they are highly qualified and experienced in their area of expertise. There are many acknowledged certifications within the trade that are offered. Here are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be required in your area, and you may also wish to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Classes

radiator heater in Port Saint Lucie FL home There are several options available for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, often achieved 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 applicable to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a short description of each credential offered near Port Saint Lucie FL.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring two years to finish, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management as well as 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.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, along with the time and money that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Port Saint Lucie FL, eventually returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Port Saint Lucie FL student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one option to obtaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be participated in online, this option may be a more practical solution for many Port Saint Lucie FL students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even commuting expenses from Port Saint Lucie and study supplies can be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job 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 active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Port Saint Lucie FL HVAC training schools Once you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to acquire, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Port Saint Lucie FL area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of key qualifications when making school evaluations. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical programs in the Port Saint Lucie FL area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, 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 complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean 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 field, but also that it has the network of Port Saint Lucie FL HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Port Saint Lucie FL HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Port Saint Lucie FL HVAC contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Port Saint Lucie FL home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Port Saint Lucie FL, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Port Saint Lucie FL?

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

Port St. Lucie, Florida

Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. It is the most populous municipality in the county with a population of 164,603 at the 2010 census due to its rapid growth during the 2000s. It is located 125 miles southeast of Orlando, and 114 miles northwest of Miami.[7][8]In 2017, the United States Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 189,344.[9] The Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Area includes the counties of St. Lucie County & Martin County and as of 2016 had an estimated population of 465,208[10]. Port St. Lucie is also contained within the Miami - Fort Lauderdale - Port St. Lucie Combined Statistic Area with an estimated population of 6,832,588.[11] Overall Port St. Lucie is the third largest City of South Florida as of 2017 estimates. (Here is evidence of Port St. Lucie being "South Florida" though there isn't a defined metro area for South Florida: WPEC the local news for the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach refers to the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches as South Florida, a local station that has been active since 1955.)

Port St. Lucie was a largely uninhabited tract of land south of White City in the 1950s, composed of a fishing camp, a few farms and businesses near U.S. 1. In 1958, with a budget of $5, the General Development Corporation (GDC) purchased the River Park development and 40,000 acres (160 km2) along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.[12] In 1959, the GDC opened its first bridge over the St. Lucie River, allowing for direct automobile access to Port St. Lucie.

By February 25, 1961 there were 250 homes in the new city. GDC requested the state legislature to incorporate 70 miles (110 km), along with the River Park settlement, into the City of Port St. Lucie. River Park did not incorporate into the city at the request of its residents. Port St. Lucie became a city on April 27, 1961 with the passage of House Bill No. 953, proposed by State Representative Rupert Smith and approved by Florida Governor C. Farris Bryant.[13]

Air Conditioner Technician School Port Saint Lucie FL

Enrolling in the ideal HVAC school program is a crucial beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Air Conditioner Technician School. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should choose an Heating and Cooling school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to look for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to check out each of the schools in person 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 teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined 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 ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Port Saint Lucie FL.