Heating and Air Conditioning Repair Schools Varnville SC

How to Pick the Right HVAC Degree Program near Varnville South Carolina

air conditioner condensers in Varnville SC 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 trade school near Varnville SC. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the best one to obtain the training that you require? Some prospective students will make their decision based solely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their home. Even though these are necessary concerns, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few 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 benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we explore how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech

Varnville SC HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals specialize in the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are commonly mandated to be licensed, though every state and regional municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative means for Varnville SC HVAC techs to prove that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are several 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 technicians. The certification is achieved by passing a competency exam and may be acquired in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification offers both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are offered in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing could be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to earn certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Training Programs

radiator heater in Varnville SC home There are a variety of alternatives offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often completed in just six months, however some programs 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 in the job market and will deliver more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short explanation of each option offered near Varnville SC.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the trade.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring 2 years to finish, many degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is tailored more towards a career in management or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard four year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be based on what your long term career goals are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after gaining some experience in the trade in Varnville SC, subsequently returning to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Online Training

Varnville SC student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC school online is one possibility in attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical training. Many also provide internship or work-study programs in addition to or as an alternative to practical lab work. But since the balance of the classes can be participated in online, this option may be a more practical solution for some Varnville SC students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Varnville and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career 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 busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Varnville SC HVAC training schools As soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you want to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC trade schools in the Varnville SC area and throughout the USA to select from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school evaluations. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial 2 factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational programs in the Varnville SC area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Varnville SC HVAC employers to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Varnville SC HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Varnville SC HVAC company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Varnville SC residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Varnville SC, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering an HVAC School near Varnville SC?

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

Varnville, South Carolina

Varnville is a town in Hampton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,162 as of the 2010 census.[4] Varnville forms a twin town with Hampton, the county seat; the two towns often share civic and cultural events.

Varnville was founded by the Varn Brothers, who sold the right-of-way for railroad tracks through their sawmill in 1872, prior to Hampton County's founding.[5] In 1878, Hampton County was created from Beaufort County, and the site for the county seat was located 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Varnville, eventually becoming the town of Hampton. Varnville grew as a result of its close proximity to the county seat as well as its connections with surrounding agricultural areas. In 1993, several scenes from the film Forrest Gump were shot in Varnville, of which some were used to create the fictional town of Greenbow, Alabama.

Varnville is located in north-central Hampton County at 32°51′9″N 81°4′46″W / 32.85250°N 81.07944°W / 32.85250; -81.07944 (32.852489, -81.079367).[7] It is bordered to the northwest by the town of Hampton. U.S. Route 278 (Carolina Avenue) is the main street through the town, leading northwest into Hampton (where it becomes Elm Street) and south 28 miles (45 km) to Ridgeland. South Carolina Highway 63 leads east from Varnville 27 miles (43 km) to Walterboro. Yemassee is 17 miles (27 km) to the southeast via US 278 and SC 68.

Heating and Air Conditioning Repair Schools Varnville SC

Enrolling in the ideal HVAC training program is a crucial first step toward a gratifying career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air Conditioning Repair Schools. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to select an HVAC trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other things to look for are sufficient hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the right questions as we have laid out in our checklist for comparing 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 Varnville SC.