Heating and Air Conditioning Training Online Saxonburg PA

How to Pick the Right HVAC Degree Program near Saxonburg Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Saxonburg PA Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling specialist, the next step is to choose an HVAC technical school near Saxonburg PA. But with so many to choose from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? Many prospective students will make their selection based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Although these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to take into account. 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. These and additional benchmarks will be addressed in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to select an HVAC vocational school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician

Saxonburg PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Acquiring professional certification is not required, but an optional means for Saxonburg PA HVAC techs to prove that they are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in their area of specialization. There are several recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Following are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency exam and can 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 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. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists 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.

Because licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also wish to acquire certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make sure that the program you choose prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Saxonburg PA home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, often accomplished in just six months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each credential offered near Saxonburg PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred 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 extensive knowledge of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring 2 years to complete, a number of degrees incorporate an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the ideal credential program will be based on what your long term career goals are, in addition to the time and money that you have to commit. One possibility is to start with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the field in Saxonburg PA, later going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Saxonburg PA student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one alternative to getting your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. A number also offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be participated in online, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Saxonburg PA students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even commuting expenses from Saxonburg and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more affordable. And numerous 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 online HVAC degree program will make it easier to fit school into your active schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Saxonburg PA HVAC training schools As soon as you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you would like to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Saxonburg PA area and across the United States to pick from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two variables you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Saxonburg PA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the HVAC schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Saxonburg PA HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Saxonburg PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Saxonburg PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Saxonburg 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 get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers 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 fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Saxonburg PA, check that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Saxonburg PA?

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

Saxonburg, Pennsylvania

Saxonburg is a borough (comparable to a town) in Butler County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area in the western part of the state. It was founded in 1832 by F. Carl Roebling and his younger brother John A. Roebling as a German farming colony. The population of Saxonburg was 1,525 as of the 2010 census.[3]

The city was first named "Germania" and "Sachsenburg" before its name was anglicized to the present one. After Roebling returned to his engineering career, he developed his innovation of wire rope in a workshop here. He became known for his design of suspension bridges, including the most famous one, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

Founded in 1832 by Friedrich Carl Roebling and his younger brother John A. Roebling, the frontier farming community was initially called "Germania". This was changed to "Sachsenburg" and later anglicized to Saxonburg. Roebling had emigrated with his brother Carl and a group of pioneers from Prussia (Germany) in 1831 to flee political unrest and oppression. The two men, along with a handful of a larger group who accompanied them on the trans-Atlantic journey, bought 1,582 acres (6.40 km2) of land on October 28, 1831, from Mrs. Sarah Collins.[4]

Heating and Air Conditioning Training Online Saxonburg PA

Selecting the right HVAC school program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Conditioning Training Online. However, as we have covered in this post, you should select an HVAC technical school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other factors to look for are ample hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for comparing 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 eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Saxonburg PA.