Heating and Air Conditioning Trade Schools Villa Park IL

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC Certification Course near Villa Park Illinois

air conditioner condensers in Villa Park IL Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner technician, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Villa Park IL. But with so many to select from, how do you select the right one to receive the training that you require? Some prospective students will make their selection based entirely on the price 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 evaluate. A few of the other details that you need to look into are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and other criteria will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c professional does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor

Villa Park 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 technicians provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally mandated to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Villa Park IL HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of acknowledged certifications within the field that are available. 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 exam and can be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be required in your area, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Villa Park IL home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically completed in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Villa Park IL.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more comprehensive background of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to complete, many degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited 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 cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Villa Park IL, subsequently going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

Villa Park IL student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility in getting your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this alternative may be a more convenient solution for many Villa Park IL students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are more economical than other traditional options. Even driving expenses from Villa Park and study materials can be reduced, helping to make schooling more affordable. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your hectic schedule.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Villa Park IL HVAC training schools Once you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you want to obtain, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Villa Park IL area and throughout the Country to pick from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two variables you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade schools in the Villa Park IL area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify 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 more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Villa Park IL HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with local Villa Park IL HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Villa Park IL HVAC contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Villa Park IL residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving 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 difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Villa Park IL, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Villa Park IL?

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

Villa Park, Illinois

Villa Park is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, within the Chicago metropolitan area. The current population is 21,800. The Village of Villa Park is an inner western suburb of Chicago near the hub of eastern DuPage County's busiest transportation corridor, just five miles from O’Hare International Airport and within 25 miles of Midway International Airport.

Villa Park lays 19.7 miles directly west of Chicago's Loop (Downtown), Villa Park provides direct access to downtown Chicago by car or Metra train and is very convenient to both O’Hare and Midway Airports and the rest of the western suburbs due to its proximity to Interstate 290 (Illinois), Interstate 355, Interstate 294, Illinois Route 53, Illinois Route 83, Interstate 88 (Illinois), Illinois Route 38, and famous North Avenue (Chicago)

When Ovaltine established its factory, it needed a way to make sure that its employees could get to and from work safely regardless of the weather, terrain or other issues. Villa Park was built originally for that reason, as well as for a convenient train stop.

Heating and Air Conditioning Trade Schools Villa Park IL

Picking the ideal HVAC school program is an important beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Conditioning Trade Schools. However, as we have covered in this article, you should select an Heating and Cooling technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other things to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Villa Park IL.