Heating and Cooling Training Hyde Park PA

How to Choose the Right HVAC College near Hyde Park Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Hyde Park PA Once you have decided on a career as a heating and air conditioning specialist, the next action is to choose an HVAC technical school near Hyde Park PA. But with so many to select from, how do you select the right one to receive the training that you need? A number of potential students will make their decision based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. A few of the other things that you need to research are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and additional criteria will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we tackle how to pick 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 Tech

Hyde Park 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 contractors provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own prerequisites. Acquiring professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional means for Hyde Park PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are multiple recognized certifications within the trade that are offered. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency 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 field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three 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 location, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Courses

radiator heater in Hyde Park PA home There are several options available for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, often achieved in just 6 months, though some courses 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 training programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will provide more in-depth training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each option offered near Hyde Park PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more detailed background of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 2 years to finish, a number of degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to learning 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 based on what your future career goals are, in addition to the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Hyde Park PA, later going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

Hyde Park PA student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one option in getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Some 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 via the internet, this option may be a more accessible solution for some Hyde Park PA students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other traditional alternatives. Even driving expenses from Hyde Park and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with limited time to attend classes, perhaps an HVAC online training program will make it easier to accommodate school into your busy lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Hyde Park PA HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you want to earn, either online or on campus, you can begin to narrow down your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Hyde Park PA area and throughout the United States to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial 2 aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC technical programs in the Hyde Park PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Verify that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Air Conditioning schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors 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 alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Hyde Park PA HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Hyde Park PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish 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 state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hyde Park PA HVAC contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Hyde Park PA residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training 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 big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Hyde Park PA, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure 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, illness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Hyde Park PA?

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

Hyde Park, Pennsylvania

Located between the borough of Hyde Park and the borough of Leechburg, the footbridge, locally known as "The Walking Bridge" is a suspension bridge that stretches 600 feet across the Kiskiminetas River. It is one of the longest pedestrian suspension footbridges in the United States, and one of the only pedestrian bridges to connect two counties, in this case, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. The official name of the bridge is the Armstrong County Bridge #13.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), of which, 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (20.69%) is water.

Hyde Park has only one land border with Allegheny Township to the south. Across the Kiskiminetas River in Armstrong County, Hyde Park runs adjacent with Parks Township to the east, Gilpin Township to the north and Leechburg to the west.

Finding the right HVAC school course is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating and air conditioning field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Cooling Training. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC community. Other factors to search for are lots of practical training and modern facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling options and whether night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have outlined in our checklist for assessing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC professional in Hyde Park PA.