Air Conditioning Installation Course Decatur MI

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Program near Decatur Michigan

air conditioner condensers in Decatur MI Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next step is to look for an HVAC trade school near Decatur MI. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the right one to get the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their choice based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Even though these are relevant considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just some 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 other benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Decatur MI HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors 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, however each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an alternative way for Decatur MI HVAC specialists to establish that they are highly skilled and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are several respected certifications within the industry that are offered. Following are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also wish to obtain certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Decatur MI home There are several choices available for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically completed in just 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each option offered near Decatur MI.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning 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 understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically 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 towards 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 air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Decatur MI, eventually going back to obtain 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 Classes

Decatur MI student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one alternative in obtaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Some also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes can be participated in on the web, this approach may be a more practical solution for many Decatur MI students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Decatur and study supplies can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many 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, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Decatur MI HVAC training schools After you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you desire to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to decrease your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Decatur MI area and throughout the Country to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school evaluations. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you should research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Decatur MI area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive 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 approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 Decatur MI HVAC employers to help grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Decatur MI HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently 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 Decatur MI HVAC contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Decatur MI home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some 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. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Decatur MI, check that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Decatur MI?

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

Decatur, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.43 square miles (3.70 km2), of which 1.35 square miles (3.50 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) is water.[9]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,819 people, 701 households, and 448 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,347.4 inhabitants per square mile (520.2/km2). There were 781 housing units at an average density of 578.5 per square mile (223.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 87.6% White, 2.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.1% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.

There were 701 households of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.10.

Air Conditioning Installation Course Decatur MI

Choosing the right HVAC school program 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 Air Conditioning Installation Course. However, as we have addressed in this post, you need to select an HVAC school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to search for are ample practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Decatur MI.