HVAC Training and Certification Old Bridge NJ

How to Select the Right HVAC Program near Old Bridge New Jersey

air conditioner condensers in Old Bridge NJ Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC technical school near Old Bridge NJ. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the right one to receive the training that you need? A number of future students will make their selection based solely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Although these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few of the other details that you need to investigate 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 professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech

Old Bridge NJ HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Old Bridge NJ HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly skilled and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are multiple acknowledged certifications within the trade that are available. Following are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and can be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of professional experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience as well as a passing score on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s imperative that you pick an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Old Bridge NJ home There are a variety of choices available for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum period of time, typically completed in as little as six months, however some courses 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 programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each credential offered near Old Bridge NJ.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive background of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 2 years to finish, a number of 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Old Bridge NJ, subsequently returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Old Bridge NJ student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one option in obtaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Many also sponsor 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 convenient solution for many Old Bridge NJ students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other on campus options. Even driving expenses from Old Bridge and study supplies can be minimized, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And many online programs 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 online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your busy schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Old Bridge NJ HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you want to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Old Bridge NJ area and across the United States to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Old Bridge NJ area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Verify that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Old Bridge NJ HVAC employers to assist graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with local Old Bridge NJ HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Old Bridge NJ HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Old Bridge NJ home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Old Bridge NJ, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Old Bridge NJ?

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

Old Bridge Township, New Jersey

Old Bridge Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 65,375,[8][9][10] reflecting an increase of 4,919 (+8.1%) from the 60,456 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 3,981 (+7.0%) from the 56,475 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] As of the 2010 Census, the township was the state's 18th largest municipality, after being the state's 21st most-populous municipality in 2000.[22] Old Bridge is a bedroom suburb of New York City located across the Raritan Bay from Staten Island, and it is about 25 miles (40 km) from Manhattan,[23] and about 30 miles (48 km) south of Newark.[24]

What is now Old Bridge Township was originally incorporated as Madison Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1869, from portions of South Amboy Township (now City of South Amboy).[25] In a referendum held on November 5, 1975, voters approved changing the township's name to Old Bridge Township by a margin of 7,150 votes to 4,888.[26][27] The township's name was changed to avoid confusion with the borough of Madison in Morris County.[26][28] Use of the name Old Bridge for a location "on the Camden and Amboy Railroad, about eight miles (13 km) beyond South Amboy" or "about seven miles (11 km) from South Amboy" goes back, however, to at least 1853.[29] Initially, the township was made up of farms and the population grew slowly. In 1880, the population was 1,662 and in 1950 it had reached 7,365. Over the next decade, a building boom started and farms gave way to developments, and the population grew to 22,772 by 1960. The 1980 census cited 51,406 people. The township saw major changes with the extension of Route 18 to the shore.

In 2016, SafeWise named Old Bridge Township as the sixth-safest city in America to raise a child; the township was the second-highest ranked of the 12 communities in New Jersey included on the list.[32]

HVAC Training and Certification Old Bridge NJ

Selecting the ideal HVAC school program is an important beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Training and Certification. However, as we have addressed in this post, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to look for are lots of practical 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 speak with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for assessing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC specialist in Old Bridge NJ.