School for Air Conditioning Aberdeen MD

How to Find the Right HVAC Training Class near Aberdeen Maryland

air conditioner condensers in Aberdeen MD Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next step is to locate an HVAC vocational school near Aberdeen MD. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the ideal one to receive the training that you need? Many future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some of the other things that you need to look into are the graduation completion rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician

Aberdeen MD HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although every state and local municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative way for Aberdeen MD HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are several respected certifications within the industry that are available. Here 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 proficiency exam and can be received 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 must have three years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be required in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you choose readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Aberdeen MD home There are several alternatives offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually completed in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each option offered near Aberdeen MD.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial 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 detailed understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually taking two years to complete, some degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the right credential program will be based on what your future career aspirations are, together with 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 getting some experience in the field in Aberdeen MD, subsequently returning 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 Training

Aberdeen MD student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative in getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be attended on the web, this approach may be a more practical solution for some Aberdeen MD students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Aberdeen and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Aberdeen MD HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you want to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the Aberdeen MD area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of key qualifiers when making school assessments. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade programs in the Aberdeen MD area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance 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 aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train 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 graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 also that it has the network of Aberdeen MD HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Aberdeen MD HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers 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. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Aberdeen MD HVAC contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Aberdeen MD residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Aberdeen MD, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, 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 Aberdeen MD?

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

Aberdeen, Maryland

Aberdeen is a city located in Harford County, Maryland, 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Baltimore.[4] The population was 14,959 at the 2010 United States Census. Aberdeen is the largest municipality in Harford County.

Aberdeen is part of the Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which is the 20th-largest United States metropolitan area. The nearest city to Aberdeen is Havre de Grace, Maryland, 4.8 miles (7.7 km) to the northeast.

Aberdeen began as a farming community in 1720, when Charles Calvert, the fifth Lord Baltimore, granted 1,140 acres of fertile land to Edward Hall. Located on the western edge of the Chesapeake on the main road between Alexandria and Philadelphia called the Old Post Road, the village at Halls Cross Road remained small until the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad scouted the area for a watering station in 1835. One of the railroad companies engineers was Edmund Law Rogers who saw the great potential in the place for development.

Choosing the right HVAC school course is a crucial beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding School for Air Conditioning. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to pick an HVAC trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to search for are ample practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect 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. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Aberdeen MD.