Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Schools Burgettstown PA

How to Choose the Right HVAC Certificate Program near Burgettstown Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Burgettstown PA Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next action is to find an HVAC trade school near Burgettstown PA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the right one to get the training that you require? Many potential students will make their choice based entirely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Although these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. 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 criteria will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech

Burgettstown PA 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 specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Obtaining professional certification is not compulsory, but a voluntary means for Burgettstown PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several recognized certifications within the trade that are available. Here 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 competency examination 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 professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have three years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing may be required in your area, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you choose an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Burgettstown PA home There are a number 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 minimum period of time, typically accomplished in just six months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs can provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each credential offered near Burgettstown PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically taking 2 years to complete, a number of 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 or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four 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.

Picking the right credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, as well as the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Burgettstown PA, subsequently going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

Burgettstown PA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one option to attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. A number also provide 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 approach may be a more convenient solution for some Burgettstown PA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even driving expenses from Burgettstown and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Burgettstown PA HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you want to acquire, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Burgettstown PA area and throughout the USA to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the first 2 aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade schools in the Burgettstown PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain 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 sure that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Burgettstown PA HVAC employers to help grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Burgettstown PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Burgettstown PA HVAC contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Burgettstown PA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Burgettstown PA, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Burgettstown PA?

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

Burgettstown, Pennsylvania

Burgettstown has an elected mayor and five-member city council, who serve four year terms and meet monthly. The current mayor is MaryAnn Reedy. The current city council members are Ken McKinney (council president), Susan Reynolds, Janet Castellino, Sean McLaughlin, and Phillip Esno.[5]

Burgettstown is split between two congressional districts: Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district, represented by Republican Guy Reschenthaler, and Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district, represented by Democrat Conor Lamb.

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,576 people, 656 households, and 429 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,531.8 people per square mile (981.4/km²). There were 703 housing units at an average density of 1,129.3 per square mile (437.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.26% White, 1.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.47% of the population.

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Schools Burgettstown PA

Selecting the right HVAC school course is a crucial first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Schools. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should choose an Heating and Cooling school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC field. Other factors to look for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak 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 choices and if evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our checklist for comparing 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 professional in Burgettstown PA.