Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Courses Lake Stevens WA

How to Enroll In the Right Heating and Cooling Degree Program near Lake Stevens Washington

air conditioner condensers in Lake Stevens WA Now that you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and cooling professional, the next action is to find an HVAC trade school near Lake Stevens WA. But with so many to select from, how do you pick the best one to get the training that you need? A number of potential students will make their selection based entirely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other factors 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 select an HVAC technical school, let’s look at what a heating and cooling contractor does to become a licensed skilled tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor

Lake Stevens WA HVAC Tech installing water heater HVAC is an acronym that is extensively used in the trade that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC techs provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are typically mandated to be licensed, though each state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but a voluntary way for Lake Stevens WA HVAC technicians to establish that they are highly proficient and accomplished in their area of specialization. There are a number of recognized certifications within the industry that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. The certification is attained by passing a competency 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 examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have 3 years of experience as well as 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 specialists that work with refrigerants. There are 3 forms of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing might be mandated in your area, and you may also desire to acquire certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the program you choose preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 examinations.

HVAC Certificate and Degree Schools

radiator heater in Lake Stevens WA home There are several choices available for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can attain a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum amount of time, often completed in just 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will qualify you for most HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree programs may provide a competitive advantage in the job market and will furnish more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief description of each credential offered near Lake Stevens WA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level commercial or residential HVAC technicians. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more detailed understanding of heating & cooling systems than the certificate program. Generally taking 2 years to finish, a number of 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 as well as business ownership. Some programs call for an Associate Degree, while others are a traditional 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Choosing the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, together with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One approach is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after getting some experience in the field in Lake Stevens WA, eventually going back to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, make certain to ask the HVAC technician school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Courses Online

Lake Stevens WA student attending HVAC school online Enrolling in an HVAC school online is one possibility to 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 offer internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the remainder of the classes may be participated in via the internet, this approach may be a more accessible solution for some Lake Stevens WA students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional options. Even commuting expenses from Lake Stevens and study supplies may be minimized, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And many online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your career or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it easier to fit school into your hectic lifestyle.

Questions to Ask HVAC Trade Schools

Questions to ask Lake Stevens WA HVAC training schools Once you have decided on the type of degree or certificate that you would like to earn, either on campus or online, you can begin to decrease your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Lake Stevens WA area and across the USA to select from. That’s why it is very important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As previously stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the initial 2 factors you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Many HVAC vocational schools in the Lake Stevens WA area have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, 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 approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion Rates. Ask the Heating and Cooling schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent 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 more extensive list of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Lake Stevens WA HVAC employers to assist grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most HVAC vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with local Lake Stevens WA HVAC professionals. 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. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lake Stevens WA HVAC company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lake Stevens WA home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lake Stevens WA, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, 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 Lake Stevens WA?

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

Lake Stevens, Washington

Lake Stevens is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States, and is named for the lake that it surrounds. It is located 8 miles (13 km) east of Everett and borders to the cities of Marysville to the northwest and Snohomish to the south. The city's population was 28,069 at the 2010 U.S. census, but has since grown to an estimated 32,000. Lake Stevens was originally centered at the northeast corner of the lake, but has since annexed the areas around the lake, which developed into a suburban commuter town in the late 20th century.

Lake Stevens was named for territorial governor Isaac Stevens in 1855 and first settled by Americans in 1886, on a 160-acre (0.65 km2) homestead along the east shore. By 1890 the first town in the area, "Ferry", had been established. Its name was later changed to "Hartford", and it served as the main link from the famed Monte Cristo timber and mining resources to the world.

In 1905 a railroad spur was built by the Rucker Brothers Timber Company, linking Hartford with Lake Stevens. Two years later Rucker Mill was opened, located along and in the north cove of the lake (original pilings can still be seen in the old lake outflow area just south of the boat launch). In 1919, the mill, which became known as the "world's largest sawmill", burned and was partially rebuilt. When it burned a second time in 1925 the mill was dismantled and Lake Stevens lost the very industry which caused its founding.[4] However, by then a flourishing town was established and continued under its own momentum.

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Courses Lake Stevens WA

Enrolling in the right HVAC training program is a crucial first step toward a gratifying career in the heating & cooling trade. You originally came to this website because you wanted more information regarding Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Courses. However, as we have discussed in this post, you need to choose an HVAC trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to look for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to go to each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to explore 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. Additionally, ask about scheduling options and if night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the right training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed HVAC professional in Lake Stevens WA.