HVAC Bachelor Degree Online East Stroudsburg PA

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC Certificate Program near East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in East Stroudsburg PA Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next action is to locate an HVAC vocational school near East Stroudsburg PA. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the best one to receive the training that you need? Some potential students will make their selection based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary factors to consider, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few of the other details 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. Those and other criteria will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we examine how to pick an HVAC training program, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling professional does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for 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, although every state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for East Stroudsburg PA HVAC techs to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are several recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Here are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a competency exam and can be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. 2 years of field 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 exam. As with NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is necessary 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 may be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to obtain certification, it’s essential that you pick an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be handling refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in East Stroudsburg PA home There are a variety of alternatives 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 amount of time, usually accomplished in just 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short summary of each credential offered near East Stroudsburg PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more comprehensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to finish, a number of degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards a career in management as well as 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 cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, in addition to 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 East Stroudsburg PA, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

East Stroudsburg PA student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative to obtaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Some also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be participated in on the web, this approach may be a more convenient solution for many East Stroudsburg PA students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even travelling expenses from East Stroudsburg and study materials can be minimized, helping to make schooling more affordable. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your busy schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask East Stroudsburg PA HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you wish to earn, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC trade schools in the East Stroudsburg PA area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is imperative to have a checklist of key qualifiers when making school assessments. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will undoubtedly be the first two variables you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC vocational schools in the East Stroudsburg PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require 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 low completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, 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 East Stroudsburg PA HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local East Stroudsburg PA HVAC contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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, talk to the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local East Stroudsburg PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your East Stroudsburg PA home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near East Stroudsburg PA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near East Stroudsburg PA?

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

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state. Originally known as "Dansbury," East Stroudsburg was renamed for geographic reasons when the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad opened a station in town. It lies east of Stroudsburg and is more populous than that town. East Stroudsburg is the largest municipality in Monroe County and in the East Stroudsburg, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area[3] as designated by the Office of Management and Budget based on data from the 2010 US Census.

East Stroudsburg is located at 41°0′5″N 75°10′48″W / 41.00139°N 75.18000°W / 41.00139; -75.18000 (41.001442, -75.180111).[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all of it land. When traveling west on Interstate 80, East Stroudsburg is the second town from the NJ-PA border on exit 309.

As of the census[8] of 2010, there were 11,922 people, 3,145 households, and 1,855 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,445.6 people per square mile (1,330.2/km2). There were 3,331 housing units at an average density of 1,160.7 per square mile (448.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 41.24% White, 52.88%[9]African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.80% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.56% of the population.

HVAC Bachelor Degree Online East Stroudsburg PA

Finding the ideal HVAC school program is a crucial first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and air conditioning field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Bachelor Degree Online. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to choose an HVAC training program and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC field. Other things to search for are sufficient hands-on training and modern facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out 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 technician in East Stroudsburg PA.