Top HVAC Training Classes Travelers Rest SC

How to Enroll In the Right HVAC Certification Course near Travelers Rest South Carolina

air conditioner condensers in Travelers Rest SC Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next step is to choose an HVAC technical school near Travelers Rest SC. But with so many to choose from, how do you choose the best one to get the training that you need? Some future 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 factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. Just some of the other details that you need to investigate are the graduation completion 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 in this article. But before we tackle how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Contractor

Travelers Rest SC HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the industry that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians specialize in 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, though each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Travelers Rest SC HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly qualified and experienced in their area of expertise. There are multiple respected certifications within the trade that are offered. Following 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 must have three years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level examination. As with NATE, certifications are provided in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required 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.

Since licensing may be required in your location, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will more than likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Travelers Rest SC home There are a number of options available for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can obtain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often accomplished in just six months, although some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for the majority of HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification related to the position. The degree training programs can provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a brief description of each option offered near Travelers Rest SC.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more exhaustive understanding of heating and cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking two years to complete, many degrees feature an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to being taught how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the appropriate credential program will be based on what your future career goals are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Travelers Rest SC, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Schools

Travelers Rest SC student attending HVAC school online Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative to getting your training and earning a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on 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 may be attended via the internet, this approach may be a more practical solution for many Travelers Rest SC students that are short on time. And a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional options. Even driving expenses from Travelers Rest and study materials may be reduced, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And numerous online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes

Questions to ask Travelers Rest SC HVAC training schools When you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you want to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are a large number of HVAC vocational schools in the Travelers Rest SC area and across the United States to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a list of key qualifications when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Travelers Rest SC area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Confirm that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 industry, but also that it has the network of Travelers Rest SC HVAC employers to help grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of HVAC contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with local Travelers Rest SC HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Travelers Rest SC HVAC company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Travelers Rest SC residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Travelers Rest SC, confirm that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Travelers Rest SC?

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

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Travelers Rest is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,576 at the 2010 census,[4] up from 4,099 in 2000. The population was an estimated 4,994 in 2015. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Travelers Rest is located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Greenville, the primary city of the Upstate region of South Carolina. The campus of Furman University is located just south of the city limits of Travelers Rest, but the university retains a Greenville address based on its ZIP code. The name "Travelers Rest" came from the fact that it is situated close to the border with the North Carolina mountains. Travelers would stop for a moment in the town before they began the difficult journey into the mountains.[5] Travelers would often have to spend the winter there, waiting for the snow to clear in the mountains before continuing northward.

The John H. Goodwin House and George Salmon House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6] A marker has been placed at the site of the home of Dicey Langston, regarded as a "heroine in the American Revolution", on Tigerville Road.[7]

Travelers Rest is located north of the center of Greenville County at 34°58′12″N 82°26′16″W / 34.97000°N 82.43778°W / 34.97000; -82.43778 (34.970100, -82.437814).[8]U.S. Route 276 passes through the center of town as Main Street, leading northwest 25 miles (40 km) to the North Carolina border at the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Caesars Head and south 9 miles (14 km) to the center of Greenville. U.S. Route 25 passes through the east side of the city, leading north 30 miles (48 km) to Hendersonville, North Carolina, and south 12 miles (19 km) to Interstate 185 to the west of Greenville.

Picking the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Top HVAC Training Classes. However, as we have addressed in this article, you should choose an Heating and Cooling trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC trade. Other features to search for are ample practical training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to tour the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for evaluating 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 Travelers Rest SC.