HVAC Schools Near Me in Berwyn PA 19312 - Become an HVAC Technician

How to Choose an HVAC School near Berwyn Pennsylvania

Berwyn PA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Once you have come to a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioning technician, the next step is to find an HVAC trade school near Berwyn PA. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the best one to get the training that you need? A number of future students will make their selection based entirely on the price of tuition or how close the school is to their home. While these are significant factors to consider, they are not the only ones to evaluate. A few of the other details that you need to look into 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 discussed in more detail later within this article. But before we examine how to choose an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and air conditioning contractor does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

How to Become an HVAC Contractor in Berwyn PA

Berwyn PA HVAC tech servicing industrial furnaces HVAC is an acronym that is widely used in the business that stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning”. HVAC professionals provide services for the installation, repair and maintenance 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 local municipality has its own requirements. Earning professional certification is not mandatory, but an alternative way for Berwyn PA HVAC specialists to establish that they are exceptionally proficient and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. There are several recognized certifications within the field that are available. Here are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC technicians. The certification is achieved by passing a proficiency examination and can be earned 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 examination are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists need to have 3 years of experience along with a passing score on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is required for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification obtainable, one for small appliances, and the other two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Since licensing might be required in your area, and you may also wish to earn certification, it’s important that you select an HVAC trade school that will prepare you for both. And since you will most likely be working with refrigerants, make certain that the school you pick prepares you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree Courses

Berwyn PA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a variety of choices available for HVAC instruction in a trade or technical school. You can earn a certificate, an Associate Degree, or a Bachelor’s Degree. Earning a certificate will take the minimum period of time, typically achieved in just 6 months, though some courses are longer. A certificate will train you for most HVAC positions, especially if you are licensed and have certification relevant to the position. The degree training programs may provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more comprehensive training than the certificate programs. Below is a short explanation of each option offered near Berwyn PA.

Certificate. Generally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are preferred among entry level residential or commercial HVAC specialists. They provide a strong foundation of skills for employment within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program supplies a more extensive knowledge of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Usually requiring two years to complete, 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 or even business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to mastering how to service and maintain heating and air conditioning systems, you will also study how to design them.

Picking the appropriate credential program will be dependent on what your long term career objectives are, along with the time and financial resources that you have to commit. One option is to begin with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the field in Berwyn PA, later returning to acquire 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 Classes

attending HVAC Training School Online in Berwyn PA Attending an HVAC program online is one option in attaining your education and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to participate in hands on training. A number also sponsor internship or work-study programs in addition to or instead of practical lab work. But since the rest of the classes may be attended on the web, this option may be a more practical solution for some Berwyn PA students that are pressed for time. And some online degree programs are cheaper than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Berwyn and study materials can be minimized, helping to make schooling more budget-friendly. And a large number of online schools are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your work or family commitments have left you with limited time to attend classes, maybe an online HVAC degree program will make it easier to accommodate school into your active lifestyle.

What to Ask HVAC Certification Classes near Berwyn PA

As soon as you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to earn, either on campus or online, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many HVAC technical schools in the Berwyn PA area and all over the USA to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As formerly mentioned in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will undoubtedly be the initial two factors you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you need to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. Numerous HVAC vocational programs in the Berwyn PA area have received 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 relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Berwyn PA HVAC employers to help graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of HVAC businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with local Berwyn PA HVAC companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local HVAC professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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 tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Berwyn PA HVAC contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Berwyn PA home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized 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 witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Berwyn PA, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Attending HVAC School near Berwyn PA?

Berwyn, Pennsylvania

At times, the village has been called Cocheltown, Reeseville, Glassley and Gaysville. The town received its present name in 1877 during the celebration of its centennial when one of the Welsh settlers proposed to name the village after the Berwyn Hills overlooking the Valley of the Dee River in Denbighshire, Wales.

Berwyn is located at 40°2′44″N 75°26′22″W / 40.04556°N 75.43944°W / 40.04556; -75.43944.[2] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.8 km2), all of it land.[3]

Berwyn is home of the Footlighters' Theater, a non-profit theater that has provided entertainment for over 80 years. Footlighters' Theater is the oldest community theater on the Philadelphia Main Line.[4]

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Choose the Right HVAC Training Classes near Berwyn PA

Enrolling in the ideal HVAC training course is an important first step toward a rewarding career in the heating and cooling trade. As we have covered in this post, you need to choose a technical school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the HVAC trade. Other factors to search for are ample hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to explore the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the teaching and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether evening or weekend classes are offered if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the proper questions as we have laid out in our checklist for evaluating schools, you’ll be able to filter your choices so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC technician in Berwyn PA.