HVAC Certificate Online West Hempstead NY

How to Pick the Right HVAC Certification Course near West Hempstead New York

air conditioner condensers in West Hempstead NY Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC vocational school near West Hempstead NY. But with so many to pick from, how do you select the best one to get the training that you require? A number of future students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Although these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. 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 additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to pick an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Professional

West Hempstead NY 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 contractors provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, although each state and local municipality has its own requirements. Attaining professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for West Hempstead NY HVAC techs to prove that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are many recognized certifications within the field that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

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

Because licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s imperative that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the school you choose readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Schools

radiator heater in West Hempstead NY home There are a variety of choices offered for HVAC training in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, typically achieved 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 related to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each credential offered near West Hempstead NY.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 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 require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 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.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career aspirations are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in West Hempstead NY, later returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

West Hempstead NY student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one option to getting your training and earning a certificate or degree. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended via the internet, this approach may be a more practical solution for some West Hempstead NY students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional options. Even driving expenses from West Hempstead and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask West Hempstead NY HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you would like to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to decrease your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the West Hempstead NY area and all over the Country to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of key qualifications when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first 2 factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade programs in the West Hempstead NY area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire 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 school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of West Hempstead NY HVAC employers to assist students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local West Hempstead NY HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local West Hempstead NY HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your West Hempstead NY home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure 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 West Hempstead NY, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near West Hempstead NY?

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

West Hempstead, New York

West Hempstead is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 18,862 at the 2010 census. West Hempstead is an unincorporated area in the Town of Hempstead and is represented by Councilman Edward Ambrosino.

West Hempstead first appeared on maps as the name of a Long Island Railroad station in 1893.[4] There are 3 railroad stations within its borders: West Hempstead, Hempstead Gardens, and Lakeview. The line continues to Valley Stream where it joins the Babylon Branch. Halls Pond Park, the main park within West Hempstead, was dedicated by Nassau County in 1961. The smaller Echo Park contains a public indoor pool. Its name is derived from the community's first four little league teams: Eagles, Cardinal, Hawks, and Orioles. In 1956, the West Hempstead Public Library was founded and chartered by the State in 1967.[5] Its present 28,000 square-foot facility was completed in 2007.[6]

In 2001, residents of West Hempstead held a nonbinding referendum on renaming the community. The vote followed a two-year effort by the West Hempstead Civic Association and the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce to give the community a unique name, distancing itself from the neighboring and urbanized Hempstead.[7] By a 94-vote margin, West Hempstead retained its name over the proposed Mayfair Park.[8]

Finding the right HVAC school course is an important beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Certificate Online. However, as we have covered in this post, you need to select an HVAC trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC community. Other things to look for are lots of hands-on training and modern facilities. You should check out 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. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your options so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in West Hempstead NY.