Learn Air Conditioning Highland Falls NY

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Certification Class near Highland Falls New York

air conditioner condensers in Highland Falls NY Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next step is to find an HVAC vocational school near Highland Falls NY. But with so many to select from, how do you select the best one to obtain the training that you require? Some prospective students will make their choice based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are relevant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. A few of the other things that you need to investigate 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 in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Highland Falls NY HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, though each state and local municipality has its own criteria. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative means for Highland Falls NY HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are multiple recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of professional experience in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience as well as a passing result on the professional level examination. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

radiator heater in Highland Falls NY home There are a variety of options available for HVAC instruction in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, typically accomplished in as little as six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each option offered near Highland Falls NY.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring 2 years to finish, some degrees feature 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be based on what your future career goals are, as well as the time and money that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Highland Falls NY, subsequently going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Courses

Highland Falls NY student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one approach to obtaining your education and earning a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended via the internet, this option may be a more convenient solution for many Highland Falls NY students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even driving expenses from Highland Falls and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your hectic schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Highland Falls NY HVAC training schools When you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you want to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Highland Falls NY area and all over the United States to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical schools in the Highland Falls NY area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of Highland Falls NY HVAC employers to help grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local Highland Falls NY HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Highland Falls NY HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Highland Falls NY home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive 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 see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Highland Falls NY, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Highland Falls NY?

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

Highland Falls, New York

Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,900 at the 2010 census. The village was founded in 1906. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 3,900 people, 1,647 households, and 988 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,546.1 people per square mile (1,369.2/km2). There were 1,793 housing units at an average density of 1,630.3 per square mile (629.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 70.4% White, 13.0% African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.8% Native American or Alaskan Native, 9.1% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 18.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,647 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.07.

Picking the right HVAC training program is a crucial first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Learn Air Conditioning. However, as we have covered in this article, you need to pick an HVAC school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other factors to search for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the proper 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 appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Highland Falls NY.