HVAC Diploma Online Trexlertown PA

How to Pick the Right Heating and Cooling Degree Program near Trexlertown Pennsylvania

air conditioner condensers in Trexlertown PA Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning professional, the next step is to locate an HVAC trade school near Trexlertown PA. But with so many to select from, how do you select the best one to receive the training that you need? Many potential students will make their choice based solely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. While these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Some 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 covered in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to choose an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c contractor does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Pro

Trexlertown PA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Attaining professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative way for Trexlertown PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are highly qualified and accomplished 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 techs. The certification is earned by passing a competency 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 in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience in addition to a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be required in your location, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be handling refrigerants, make certain that the program you pick readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Trexlertown PA home There are a variety of choices available for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically accomplished in just six months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will deliver more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each credential offered near Trexlertown PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC professionals. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive background of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually 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 tailored more for a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the right credential program will be based on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One approach is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Trexlertown PA, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your strategy, make certain to ask the HVAC tech school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Trexlertown PA student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC program online is one option in attaining your education and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be participated in on the web, this option may be a more practical solution for many Trexlertown PA students that are pressed for time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even driving expenses from Trexlertown and study supplies can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online schools 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 less complicated to accommodate school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Trexlertown PA HVAC training schools When you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you would like to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Trexlertown PA area and all over the USA to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of important qualifications when making school assessments. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two aspects you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC trade schools in the Trexlertown PA area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 field, but also that it has the network of Trexlertown PA HVAC employers to help students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Trexlertown PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Trexlertown PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Trexlertown PA home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Trexlertown PA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure 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, sickness or family issues.

Considering an HVAC School near Trexlertown PA?

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

Trexlertown, Pennsylvania

Trexlertown (also Trexlerstown[1]) is a census-designated place in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies in the Lehigh Valley between Breinigsville and Wescosville. As of the 2010 census the population was 1,988 residents.

Jeremiah Trexler obtained land adjoining that of his father in Upper Macungie Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he kept a tavern as early as in 1732. In 1734 a road was laid out from his tavern through North Wales in now Montgomery County to Philadelphia. As was the custom of the time, a village grew around the tavern, which came to be known as Trexlertown.[2]

Selecting the right HVAC training course is an important beginning toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Diploma Online. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to pick an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have excellent reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. Also, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options too. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and commitment, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC contractor in Trexlertown PA.