HVAC Schools Near Me in Thornton IL 60476 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Pick an HVAC Certification Course near Thornton Illinois

Thornton IL HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and cooling technician, the next step is to look for an HVAC vocational school near Thornton IL. But with so many to select from, how do you choose the best one to receive the training that you need? Many potential students will make their selection based solely on the cost of tuition or how close the school is to their residence. Even though these are necessary considerations, they are not the only ones to investigate. Some of the other things that you need to research are the graduation rates of the HVAC schools, their reputations, and if they are accredited by professional trade organizations. These and other benchmarks will be covered in more detail later in this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC trade school, let’s look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed professional tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Tech in Thornton IL

Thornton IL HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is frequently used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As skilled tradesmen, they are typically required to be licensed, although each state and regional municipality has its own requirements. Acquiring professional certification is not compulsory, but an optional means for Thornton IL HVAC technicians to prove that they are exceptionally skilled and experienced in their area of specialization. There are many respected certifications within the field that are available. Below are some of the important ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally recognized certification for HVAC techs. 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. 2 years of professional experience as well as passing a comprehensive examination are required for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience along with a passing result on the professional level exam. Similar to NATE, certifications are made available in several specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for specialists that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification offered, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Because licensing might be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to earn certification, it’s important that you pick an HVAC vocational school that will train you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make sure that the program you choose readies you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Courses

Thornton IL HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are several choices available for HVAC instruction in a vocational or trade school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Obtaining a certificate will take the lesser amount of time, typically achieved in as little as 6 months, though some programs are longer. A certificate will train you for the majority of HVAC positions, particularly if you are licensed and have certification appropriate to the position. The degree programs might provide a competitive advantage for securing employment and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each option offered near Thornton IL.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among beginning commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more extensive understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to finish, a number of degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is geared 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 mastering how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also learn how to design them.

Selecting the right credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, as well as 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 acquiring some experience in the field in Thornton IL, eventually returning to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your tactic, make sure to ask the HVAC tech school you are considering about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Schools Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Thornton IL Attending an HVAC school online is one alternative to getting your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Most schools will require some attendance on campus to complete hands on training. Many 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 on the web, this alternative may be a more accessible solution for many Thornton IL students that are pressed for time. And many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus alternatives. Even commuting expenses from Thornton and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with little time to attend classes, perhaps an online HVAC degree program will make it more convenient to fit school into your hectic schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Courses near Thornton IL

As soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you want to attain, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are a large number of HVAC technical schools in the Thornton IL area and throughout the Country to pick from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of important qualifiers when making school comparisons. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the first 2 variables you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you will want to research before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC trade programs in the Thornton IL area have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example HVAC technology. Make certain that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable 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 HVAC schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Thornton IL HVAC employers to help students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many HVAC training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of Heating and Cooling companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with local Thornton IL HVAC professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable 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 certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Thornton IL HVAC company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Thornton IL home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might 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 difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Thornton IL, check that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Thornton IL?

Thornton, Illinois

According to the 2010 census, Thornton has a total area of 2.376 square miles (6.15 km2), of which 2.35 square miles (6.09 km2) (or 98.91%) is land and 0.026 square miles (0.07 km2) (or 1.09%) is water.[6]

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,338 people, 956 households, and 621 families residing in the village. The population density was 994.9 people per square mile (383.3/km²). There were 1,027 housing units at an average density of 437.0/sq mi (168.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 83.0% White, 9.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 3.3% some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.[4]

There were 956 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were headed by married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 3.03.[4]

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Pick the Right HVAC Trade School near Thornton IL

Finding the ideal HVAC training course is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling industry. As we have covered in this post, you need to pick a 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 practical training and state-of-the-art facilities. You need to go to each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Additionally, ask about scheduling options and whether evening or weekend classes are available if needed. And don’t forget to ask about financial assistance and student loan options also. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have laid out in our guidelines for comparing 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 professional in Thornton IL.