School for Air Conditioning and Heating Oak Harbor OH

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Degree Program near Oak Harbor Ohio

air conditioner condensers in Oak Harbor OH Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next step is to look for an HVAC technical school near Oak Harbor OH. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the ideal one to obtain the training that you require? A number of future students will make their selection based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. While these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other details 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. Those and additional benchmarks will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician

Oak Harbor OH HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of 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. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary way for Oak Harbor OH HVAC techs to establish that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are a number of respected certifications within the industry 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 earned by passing a competency examination and may 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 as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are three types of certification available, 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 acquire certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the school you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Oak Harbor OH home There are several alternatives available for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often completed in as little as six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each option offered near Oak Harbor OH.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive background of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 2 years to finish, many degrees include 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the appropriate credential program will be dependent 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 acquiring some experience in the trade in Oak Harbor OH, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Oak Harbor OH student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one approach in getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. Some also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be attended on the web, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Oak Harbor OH students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Oak Harbor and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make education more budget-friendly. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family obligations have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Oak Harbor OH HVAC training schools After you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to limit your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Oak Harbor OH area and across the USA to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely 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. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Oak Harbor OH area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Oak Harbor OH HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Oak Harbor OH HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the HVAC tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Oak Harbor OH HVAC contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Oak Harbor OH residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Oak Harbor OH, check that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Oak Harbor OH?

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

Oak Harbor, Ohio

Oak Harbor is a village in Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. Oak Harbor is 30 miles east of Downtown Toledo. The population was 2,759 at the 2010 census. It lies a short distance southwest of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, one of two nuclear power plants in Ohio.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.70 square miles (4.40 km2), of which 1.55 square miles (4.01 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,759 people, 1,153 households, and 738 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,780.0 inhabitants per square mile (687.3/km2). There were 1,262 housing units at an average density of 814.2 per square mile (314.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

School for Air Conditioning and Heating Oak Harbor OH

Finding the ideal HVAC training course is a critical beginning toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding School for Air Conditioning and Heating. However, as we have covered in this post, you should select an HVAC school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to look for are sufficient hands-on training and modern facilities. You should check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore 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. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out 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 right training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC specialist in Oak Harbor OH.