Heating and Air School Harriman TN

How to Choose the Right Heating and Cooling Training Program near Harriman Tennessee

air conditioner condensers in Harriman TN Once you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next action is to choose an HVAC vocational school near Harriman TN. But with so many to choose from, how do you select the best one to get the training that you need? Many future students will make their selection based exclusively on the cost of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Even though these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to investigate. 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 other criteria will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to pick an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Professional

Harriman TN HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is commonly used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC technicians provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are commonly required to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own criteria. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary means for Harriman TN HVAC technicians to prove that they are exceptionally qualified and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several acknowledged certifications within the industry that are available. Here are a few of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is earned 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. 2 years of field experience as well as passing a comprehensive exam are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are made available in various specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that work with refrigerants. There are three forms of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s essential that you choose an HVAC technical school that will train you for both. And since you will probably be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you select preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Harriman TN home There are several choices offered for HVAC training in a vocational or trade school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Acquiring a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, typically achieved in as little as 6 months, although some courses are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification applicable to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a short description of each option offered near Harriman TN.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC professionals. They provide a strong 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 finish, many 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 as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be dependent on what your long term career goals are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to invest. One option is to begin with a certificate or perhaps an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Harriman TN, later returning to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

Harriman TN student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC program online is one possibility in attaining your education and earning a degree or certificate. Most schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in practical training. Some 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 attended via the internet, this approach may be a more practical solution for many Harriman TN students that are short on time. And some online degree programs are more economical than other on campus alternatives. Even driving expenses from Harriman and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And a large number of online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it more convenient to accommodate school into your busy lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Training Programs

Questions to ask Harriman TN HVAC training schools Once you have chosen the type of certificate or degree that you wish to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to limit your selection of schools. As you are probably aware, there are numerous HVAC technical schools in the Harriman TN area and across the Country to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a list of important qualifications when making school evaluations. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two factors you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC technical schools in the Harriman TN area have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the HVAC training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers 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 directory of graduates, 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Harriman TN HVAC employers to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with local Harriman TN HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Harriman TN HVAC company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Harriman TN residence. Remember 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 important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn 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 fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Harriman TN, check that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering an HVAC School near Harriman TN?

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

Harriman, Tennessee

Harriman is located at 35°55′43″N 84°33′21″W / 35.92861°N 84.55583°W / 35.92861; -84.55583 (35.928585, -84.555700).[6] The city is situated along the physiographic boundary between the Tennessee Valley region and the Cumberland Plateau region, with the Plateau—namely its Walden Ridge escarpment—rising several hundred feet above the city to the west. The Emory River enters the Tennessee Valley just west of Harriman at a pass known as Emory Gap, and forms an oxbow bend that surrounds the original section of Harriman.

U.S. Route 27, known as Roane Street in Harriman, runs north-to-south through the city along the base of Walden Ridge. Interstate 40 runs east-to-west through the city's southern section. Harriman's southwestern boundary, which it shares with Rockwood, is located along US-27 about a half-mile south of the road's intersection with I-40. The city's southeastern boundary runs along Pine Ridge, which overlooks the Kingston Fossil Plant. Harriman's northern boundary is near US-27's split with State Highway 61.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.4 km2), of which 10.4 square miles (26.9 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.86%, is water.[5]

Selecting the right HVAC training course is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling field. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Heating and Air School. However, as we have addressed 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 trade. Other things to search for are lots of hands-on training and modern facilities. You need to go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Additionally, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial aid and student loan options also. If you ask the right 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 educated decision. With the right training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Harriman TN.