Schools That Offer HVAC Training Armonk NY

How to Pick the Right HVAC Certification Training near Armonk New York

air conditioner condensers in Armonk NY Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Armonk NY. But with so many to pick from, how do you pick the best one to obtain the training that you require? A number of prospective students will make their decision based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few 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 other criteria will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor

Armonk NY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Armonk NY HVAC techs to demonstrate that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are multiple recognized certifications within the field that are available. Following are some of the significant 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 may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s imperative that you select an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be handling refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Armonk NY home There are a number of choices offered 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, often achieved in just six months, however some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each credential offered near Armonk NY.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular 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 delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring two years to complete, some degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared 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 being taught 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, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Armonk NY, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Armonk NY student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one possibility in obtaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete practical training. A number also offer 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 Armonk NY students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even travelling expenses from Armonk and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Armonk NY HVAC training schools Once you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you want to acquire, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Armonk NY area and across the Country to select from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school comparisons. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the initial two aspects you will look at. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical schools in the Armonk NY area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Armonk NY HVAC employers to help 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 companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with local Armonk NY HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Armonk NY HVAC contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Armonk NY home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get 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 observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Armonk NY, check that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Armonk NY?

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

Armonk, New York

Armonk is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of North Castle, New York located in Westchester County.[1] As of the 2010 census, Armonk's CDP population is 4,330 and it has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.7 km2), of which 6.0 square miles (15.5 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 1.54 percent, is water. Armonk is well known as being the headquarters of IBM.[2]

Situated 10 miles from the coast in the Southeastern corner of New York, Armonk shares a border with Connecticut. The landscape is hilly and forested, with a mean elevation of 387 feet, and is home to the highest point in Westchester County with an elevation of 1,396 feet.

Armonk has a humid subtropical climate (Type Cfa) with cool, wet winters and hot, humid summers. Precipitation is plentiful, with the winter months receiving more precipitation than the summer months. Snow is common during the winter, and Armonk receives 26 inches of snow per year. Milder winters, however, may only see a few inches of snow while colder winters can see 35+ inches of snow. Winter precipitation comes mainly in the form of coastal storms that bring rain, snow and wind to New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Highs in winter average around 39° and lows around 30°. Summer brings mostly stable, hot weather with scattered thunderstorms, and the risk of a rare tropical storm in August and September. High temperatures in the summer average around 83° and lows around 72°, however 20 days per summer, highs reach past 90°. Spring and fall are transition seasons with moderate temperatures and moderate precipitation.

Choosing the right HVAC school program is a crucial beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Schools That Offer HVAC Training. However, as we have addressed in this article, you need to select an HVAC technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to look for are lots of practical training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Armonk NY.