HVAC Technician College Lewisburg OH

How to Pick the Right HVAC Certificate Program near Lewisburg Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Lewisburg OH Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next step is to locate an HVAC trade school near Lewisburg OH. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? Many prospective students will make their choice based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Just some 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 benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to pick an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling professional does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Tech

Lewisburg OH HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative way for Lewisburg OH HVAC technicians to prove that they are highly qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are several respected certifications within the trade that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a competency examination and may be earned in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination 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. As with NATE, certifications are provided in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also desire to obtain certification, it’s imperative that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the program you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Schools

radiator heater in Lewisburg OH home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least period of time, usually achieved in just six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief summary of each option offered near Lewisburg OH.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more detailed understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking two years to finish, many degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be based on what your long term career objectives are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Lewisburg OH, eventually going back to obtain 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 Online Schools

Lewisburg OH student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative to obtaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended via the internet, this option may be a more convenient solution for some Lewisburg OH students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Lewisburg 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 job or family obligations have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions For HVAC Certification Classes

Questions to ask Lewisburg OH HVAC training schools Once you have chosen the type of degree or certificate that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Lewisburg OH area and throughout the United States to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial two factors you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC trade programs in the Lewisburg OH area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Lewisburg OH HVAC employers to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Lewisburg OH HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lewisburg OH HVAC contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Lewisburg OH residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lewisburg OH, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Lewisburg OH?

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

Lewisburg, Ohio

Lewisburg is a village in Preble County, Ohio, United States, founded in 1818. The current village incorporates two prior villages, the original Lewisburg and Euphemia, which merged in 1916. The population was 1,820 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The community was named for Lewisburg, Virginia (now in West Virginia). In about 1836, pioneer John Mumma founded the community of Euphemia, named for his wife, to the north of Lewisburg on the National Road. The villages officially merged on April 4, 1916, and the combined community retained the name of Lewisburg.[7]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,820 people, 710 households, and 505 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,700.9 inhabitants per square mile (656.7/km2). There were 781 housing units at an average density of 729.9 per square mile (281.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.1% White, 0.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

Choosing the right HVAC training program is an important beginning toward a rewarding career in the heating & cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Technician College. However, as we have discussed in this article, you should choose an HVAC vocational school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to search for are sufficient hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Lewisburg OH.