HVAC Diploma Huntingdon Valley PA

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling Certificate Program near Huntingdon Valley Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Huntingdon Valley PA Now that you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC technical school near Huntingdon Valley PA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the ideal one to receive the training that you need? Some prospective students will make their decision based exclusively on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few 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. 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 technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Professional

Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, however each state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary way for Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC specialists to demonstrate that they are highly proficient and experienced in their area of specialization. There are a number of respected certifications within the field that are available. Below are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is attained by passing a proficiency examination and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience together with 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 result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing might be required in your area, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s essential that you enroll in an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you decide on preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Huntingdon Valley PA home There are a variety of choices offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often completed in just 6 months, however some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will furnish more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each option offered near Huntingdon Valley PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring two years to complete, many 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 call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the right credential program will be dependent on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One possibility is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Huntingdon Valley PA, eventually going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Huntingdon Valley PA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one approach in attaining your training and earning a certificate or degree. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to complete practical training. Many 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 can be participated in online, this approach may be a more accessible solution for many Huntingdon Valley PA students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are more economical than other traditional choices. Even driving expenses from Huntingdon Valley and study supplies may be lessened, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions For HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC training schools Once you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you want to attain, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Huntingdon Valley PA area and throughout the Country to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical schools in the Huntingdon Valley PA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the HVAC training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use 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 Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC employers to help grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional 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 working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Huntingdon Valley PA HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Huntingdon Valley PA residence. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Huntingdon Valley PA, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers 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 Huntingdon Valley PA?

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

Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

Huntingdon Valley is a village, as well as a suburban mailing address located in Lower Moreland Township, Upper Moreland Township and Abington Township all in Montgomery County, and in small sections of Upper Southampton Township and Lower Southampton Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania bordering the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States.

The village of Huntingdon Valley is located along Huntingdon Pike (Pennsylvania Route 232). The Lady Washington Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1] The inn is believed to have held first lady, Martha Washington while George Washington was at Valley Forge. The region saw early settlements and mills along the Pennypack Creek. The Fetter's Mill Village Historic District is located in the valley through which the Pennypack Creek flows. The area surrounding the original village was very rural up until the latter half of the 20th Century.

Originally referred to as "Goosetown,"[2] Huntingdon Valley boasts some of the highest standards of living in the Greater Philadelphia area with 90% of the Township being single-dwelling homes and having one of the highest per capita incomes in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.[3] Huntingdon Valley (zip 19006), Pennsylvania,sales tax rate is 6.00%. Income tax is 4.07%. The income per capita is $45,125, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $94,961.

Choosing the ideal HVAC school program is a crucial first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and cooling industry. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Diploma. However, as we have discussed in this article, you should select an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other features to look for are ample hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Huntingdon Valley PA.