HVAC Degree Programs Shady Grove PA

How to Find the Right Heating and Cooling School near Shady Grove Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Shady Grove PA Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next action is to find an HVAC technical school near Shady Grove PA. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the ideal one to get the training that you need? Some potential students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are relevant considerations, 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 additional criteria will be addressed in more detail later within this article. But before we explore how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and cooling specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

Shady Grove PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, however each state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Attaining professional certification is not required, but a voluntary means for Shady Grove PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally qualified and experienced in their area of expertise. There are a number of recognized certifications within the industry that are available. 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 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 as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s essential that you select an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you decide on readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Shady Grove PA home There are a variety of options offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the least amount of time, usually completed in as little as six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree training programs might provide a competitive edge for securing employment and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each option offered near Shady Grove PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among beginning commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They furnish a strong foundation of skills for employment within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to complete, some degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more for a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a conventional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, as well as the time and financial resources 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 trade in Shady Grove PA, later returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Classes

Shady Grove PA student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC program online is one alternative to attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or in place of practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes may be participated in online, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Shady Grove PA students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Shady Grove and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family obligations have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your active schedule.

Questions For HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Shady Grove PA HVAC training schools When you have selected the type of degree or certificate that you wish to obtain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are many HVAC vocational schools in the Shady Grove PA area and across the Country to pick from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of relevant qualifiers when making school assessments. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational programs in the Shady Grove PA area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example HVAC technology. Confirm that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Shady Grove PA HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC vocational 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 Heating and Cooling companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with local Shady Grove PA HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm 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, check with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Shady Grove PA HVAC company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Shady Grove PA residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Shady Grove PA, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Shady Grove PA?

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

The Manitowoc Company

The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is an American Fortune 1000 manufacturer of cranes and, until 2016, food service equipment. The company was founded in 1902, and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On March 4, 2016, the company announced that it had completed the spin-off of its food service equipment operations into a new publicly traded company, Manitowoc Foodservices.[3]

Manitowoc Company, Inc. was founded by Charles West and Elias Gunnell in the lakeshore community of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1902. It was known as a shipbuilding and ship-repair company under the name Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company. Since that time, the company has grown and diversified, entering the lattice-boom crane business in the mid-1920s and branching into commercial refrigeration equipment shortly after World War II. During World War II, the Department of the Navy contracted Manitowoc to build a total of 28 submarines, plus the canceled USS Chicolar (SS-464).[4] Before they built the submarines for the Department of the Navy, the company built car ferries.[citation needed] In November 2002, the company acquired the Grove Crane company for approximately $271 million. In August 2016, the company announced that it would be moving its crane operations from Manitowoc to Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, a transition that was completed in mid-2017.[5] In the first quarter of 2018, the company moved its headquarters from Manitowoc to One Park Plaza in northwest Milwaukee. The building formerly occupied by the company was sold to Investors Community Bank in Manitowoc.[6][7]

Manitowoc produces several lines of cranes to serve the construction industries. The company produces high-capacity lattice-boom crawler cranes, tower cranes, and mobile telescopic cranes for heavy construction, commercial construction, energy-related, wind farm,[8] infrastructure, duty-cycle and crane-rental applications. It is also a producer of boom trucks.

Choosing the right HVAC school program is a crucial first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and air conditioning trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Degree Programs. However, as we have covered in this post, you should choose an Heating and Cooling training program and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to search for are lots of practical training and modern facilities. You should check out each of the schools in person 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 teaching and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember 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 evaluating schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Shady Grove PA.