Online HVAC Training Oakmont PA

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling School near Oakmont Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Oakmont PA Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next action is to find an HVAC technical school near Oakmont PA. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you require? Some potential students will make their decision based solely on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their home. While these are relevant concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. 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. These and additional benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional

Oakmont PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC contractors specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Obtaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an optional means for Oakmont PA HVAC techs to establish that they are highly proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several recognized certifications within the field that are offered. Below are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a proficiency examination and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are three forms of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing could be required in your location, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC vocational school that will prepare you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the program you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Oakmont PA home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically achieved in as little as 6 months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive edge in the job market and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Oakmont PA.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more exhaustive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Normally requiring 2 years to finish, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional four 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 appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One approach is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Oakmont PA, later going back to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Oakmont PA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one approach to obtaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in hands on training. Many also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some Oakmont PA students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are less costly than other traditional choices. Even driving expenses from Oakmont and study supplies may be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your active schedule.

Questions to Ask HVAC Certification Courses

Questions to ask Oakmont PA HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you wish to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Oakmont PA area and across the USA to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial two aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you should explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade schools in the Oakmont PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 program. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Oakmont PA HVAC employers to assist students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Oakmont PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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, check with the HVAC technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Oakmont PA HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Oakmont PA residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Oakmont PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Oakmont PA?

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

Oakmont, Pennsylvania

Incorporated as a town in 1889, this Allegheny River community began in 1816 when a farmer, Michael Bright, bought a large tract of land 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. The settlement took its name from a landmark tree, as the deed description reads, "Beginning at a black oak on the bank of the Allegheny River ..." The borough is best known for the nearby Oakmont Country Club, a premier golf course which has been the site of numerous U.S. Open golf tournaments, including the 2016 U.S. Open.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 8.99%, is water. The business district of town is on relatively flat land near the Allegheny River, but the main residential area is on the upward slope headed toward Oakmont Country Club and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Plum Creek flows through the borough.[5]

Oakmont has three land borders, including Plum to the east, and Penn Hills and Verona to the south. Across the Allegheny River to the west and northwest, Oakmont runs adjacent with O'Hara Township to the west and Harmar Township to the north (via the Hulton Bridge).

Finding the ideal HVAC school course is a crucial beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Online HVAC Training. However, as we have discussed in this article, you need to choose an Heating and Cooling trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC field. Other features to search for are plenty of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to visit 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. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for assessing 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 commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Oakmont PA.