HVAC Classes Cornersville TN

How to Select the Right Heating and Cooling Program near Cornersville Tennessee

air conditioner condensers in Cornersville TN Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner professional, the next action is to locate an HVAC trade school near Cornersville TN. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the right one to receive the training that you require? A number of future students will make their choice based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. Even though these are important factors to consider, they are not the only ones to take into account. Some of the other factors that you need to research 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 discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC vocational school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c specialist does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Specialist

Cornersville TN HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, maintenance and repair of air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary way for Cornersville TN HVAC specialists to prove that they are exceptionally proficient and accomplished in their area of expertise. There are many respected certifications within the field that are offered. Following are a few of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned by passing a competency examination and may be received in one or more specialties.
HVAC Excellence. This certification makes available both a professional and a master specialist credential. Two years of field experience together with passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience together with a passing score on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are offered in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for technicians that work with refrigerants. There are three types 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 wish to acquire certification, it’s imperative that you enroll in an HVAC trade school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make sure that the school you select readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Courses

radiator heater in Cornersville TN home There are a variety of choices offered for HVAC training in a technical or vocational school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the lesser period of time, often completed in just six months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each option offered near Cornersville TN.

Certificate. Usually requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC technicians. They provide a solid foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program delivers a more exhaustive knowledge of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally requiring two years to complete, many 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 or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional four year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, as well as the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One possibility is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Cornersville TN, later going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Classes Online

Cornersville TN student attending HVAC school online Choosing an HVAC program online is one alternative to attaining your training and receiving a degree or certificate. Nearly all schools will require some attendance on campus to take part in hands on 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 attended online, this alternative may be a more practical solution for some Cornersville TN students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Cornersville and study materials may be reduced, helping to make schooling more affordable. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with minimal time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it less complicated to fit school into your hectic schedule.

Questions For HVAC Schools

Questions to ask Cornersville TN HVAC training schools Once you have decided on the type of certificate or degree that you desire to attain, either online or on campus, you can begin to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Cornersville TN area and throughout the United States to choose from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of important qualifications when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first two variables you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC technical schools in the Cornersville TN area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Make certain that the program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many 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 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 signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Cornersville TN HVAC employers to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with local Cornersville TN HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Cornersville TN HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Cornersville TN home. 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 receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and learn 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 reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Cornersville TN, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check 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 Cornersville TN?

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

Cornersville, Tennessee

Before becoming incorporated the town's name was Marathon. When it was first incorporated as a municipality on January 7, 1830, Cornersville was named for its location near the corner where Giles, Maury, Bedford and Lincoln counties came together.[5] It was part of Giles County at the time of incorporation, but county boundaries have changed, and since 1870 it has been in Marshall County.[6]

Cornersville is located at 35°21′29″N 86°50′30″W / 35.35806°N 86.84167°W / 35.35806; -86.84167 (35.358152, -86.841681).[7] The town is concentrated around the intersection of U.S. Route 31 and State Route 129 southwest of Lewisburg and northeast of Pulaski. Interstate 65 passes just to the west.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 962 people, 371 households, and 251 families residing in the town. The population density was 511.8 people per square mile (197.6/km²). There were 393 housing units at an average density of 209.1 per square mile (80.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.74% White, 3.64% African American, 0.10% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.21% of the population.

Choosing the right HVAC training program is an important first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding HVAC Classes. However, as we have addressed in this article, you need to select an Heating and Cooling trade school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC trade. Other things to look for are lots of practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect 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 evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for assessing 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 commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Cornersville TN.