How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician Brownsville MD

How to Select the Right HVAC Certificate Program near Brownsville Maryland

air conditioner condensers in Brownsville MD Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to choose an HVAC technical school near Brownsville MD. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the right one to receive the training that you need? Some future students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other factors 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 other criteria will be addressed 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 cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Brownsville MD HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not required, but an optional means for Brownsville MD HVAC techs to prove that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are multiple respected certifications within the field that are available. Following are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency exam 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 field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that work with 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 might be required in your area, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the program you choose readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Brownsville MD home There are several alternatives available for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, usually accomplished in just 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short summary of each option offered near Brownsville MD.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential 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 background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring two years to finish, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be based on what your long term career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Brownsville MD, later going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Brownsville MD student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one option to attaining your training and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended via the internet, this option may be a more practical solution for many Brownsville MD students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even commuting expenses from Brownsville and study materials may be reduced, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Brownsville MD HVAC training schools After you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you desire to obtain, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Brownsville MD area and throughout the USA to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of key qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial two variables you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Brownsville MD area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified 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 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Brownsville MD HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Brownsville MD HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Brownsville MD HVAC contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Brownsville MD residence. Take note 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 important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Brownsville MD, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Brownsville MD?

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

Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport

The airport sees two airlines, six air taxis and offers three fixed-base operations (FBOs) for general aviation. It is convenient to the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico. Most cities in the Rio Grande Valley are accessible from BRO by automobile within 30–60 minutes via the US 77, US 83, Interstate 69E and Interstate 2 freeway routes. It is the closest airline airport to South Padre Island.

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service facility.[2]Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 82,723 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[3] 80,350 in 2009 and 84,401 in 2010.[4]

The National Weather Service forecast office for deep south Texas is on the airport grounds. The airport has scheduled nonstop passenger flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) and Houston (IAH). Allegiant Air scheduled nonstop jets to Las Vegas beginning June 2015 but ended flights from Brownsville.[5]

How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician Brownsville MD

Finding the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding How Long Does it Take to Become an HVAC Technician. However, as we have covered in this post, you should pick an Heating and Cooling school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC community. Other things 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 tour the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for assessing 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 ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Brownsville MD.