HVAC Degrees Bloomfield NE

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near Bloomfield Nebraska

air conditioner condensers in Bloomfield NENow that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next step is to find an HVAC technical school near Bloomfield NE. But with so many to pick from, how do you decide on the best one to obtain the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their choice based solely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Although these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few of the other things 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 additional criteria will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to select an HVAC training program, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning specialist does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Bloomfield NE HVAC Tech installing water heaterHVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, although every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but a voluntary way for Bloomfield NE HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are multiple respected certifications within the industry that are offered. Below are some of the important ones.

  • North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a competency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
  • HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in multiple specialties.
  • EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for specialists 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.

Since licensing may be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s essential that you enroll in an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Bloomfield NE homeThere are a number of choices offered for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically achieved in just 6 months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will deliver more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Bloomfield NE.

  • Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
  • Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring 2 years to complete, some degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
  • Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the right credential program will be based on what your future career aspirations are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the trade in Bloomfield NE, eventually going back 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 Schools Online

Bloomfield NE student attending HVAC school onlineChoosing an HVAC school online is one option in attaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place 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 many Bloomfield NE students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even driving expenses from Bloomfield and study supplies may be reduced, helping to make schooling more affordable. 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, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to fit school into your active lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Bloomfield NE HVAC training schoolsAfter you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you desire to obtain, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Bloomfield NE area and all over the United States to pick from. That’s why it is imperative to have a list of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Bloomfield NE area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make sure that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates.  Ask the Heating and Cooling 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 low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Bloomfield NE HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with local Bloomfield NE HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Bloomfield NE HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Bloomfield NE home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Bloomfield NE, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Bloomfield NE?

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

Bloomfield, Nebraska

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,028 people, 500 households, and 275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,253.7 inhabitants per square mile (484.1/km2). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 689.0 per square mile (266.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 2.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 500 households of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.0% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 24% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.62.

The median age in the city was 53.1 years. 17.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.5% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 30.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

HVAC Degrees Bloomfield NE

Selecting the right HVAC training program is a crucial first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Degrees. However, as we have covered in this post, you should pick an HVAC trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to look for are ample hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our checklist for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Bloomfield NE.

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