HVAC Technician School Louisville IL

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near Louisville Illinois

air conditioner condensers in Louisville IL Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Louisville IL. But with so many to choose from, how do you pick the ideal one to obtain the training that you need? Many potential students will make their choice based solely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Even though these are important 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 in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Louisville IL HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative means for Louisville IL HVAC technicians to prove that they are exceptionally qualified and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the industry that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be required in your area, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in Louisville IL home There are a variety of alternatives offered for HVAC instruction in a technical or vocational school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least amount of time, often achieved in as little as six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge in the job market and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each credential offered near Louisville IL.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 2 years to finish, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be based on what your future career goals are, as well as the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Louisville IL, later returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

Louisville IL student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility in obtaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Many also provide 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 via the internet, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Louisville IL students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even travelling expenses from Louisville and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Louisville IL HVAC training schools After you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you want to obtain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Louisville IL area and across the USA to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of key qualifications when making school assessments. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the initial 2 variables you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational programs in the Louisville IL area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Confirm that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also signify 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 broader directory of alumni, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Louisville IL HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with local Louisville IL HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain 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, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Louisville IL HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Louisville IL home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Louisville IL, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Louisville IL?

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

Louisville, Illinois

Louisville is located near the center of Clay County at 38°46′17″N 88°30′23″W / 38.77139°N 88.50639°W / 38.77139; -88.50639 (38.771356, -88.506301).[6]U.S. Route 45 passes through the village, leading north 25 miles (40 km) to Effingham and south 8 miles (13 km) to Flora.

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 1,242 people, 503 households, and 311 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,794.1 people per square mile (695.0/km²). There were 543 housing units at an average density of 784.4 per square mile (303.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.28% White, 0.16% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 503 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.97.

Choosing the right HVAC training program is an important beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Technician School. However, as we have addressed in this post, you need to select an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other things to search for are ample practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk 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 options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out 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 eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Louisville IL.