HVAC Schools Near Me in Riegelsville PA 18077

How to Choose an HVAC School near Riegelsville Pennsylvania

Riegelsville PA HVAC tech servicing AC compressor Now that you have made a decision on a career as a heating and air conditioner specialist, the next action is to look for an HVAC technical school near Riegelsville PA. But with so many to select from, how do you decide on the right one to get the training that you need? A number of prospective students will make their selection based entirely on the price of tuition or how near the school is to their residence. Although these are significant concerns, they are not the only ones to investigate. Just some of the other things 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 other criteria will be discussed in more detail later in this article. But before we discuss how to select an HVAC technical school, let’s take a look at what a heating and a/c technician does to become a licensed qualified tradesman.

Becoming an HVAC Technician in Riegelsville PA

Riegelsville PA 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 contractors specialize in the installation, repair and maintenance of central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and heating systems. As professional tradesmen, they are generally required to be licensed, however every state and local municipality has its own prerequisites. Attaining professional certification is not required, but an optional way for Riegelsville PA HVAC technicians to demonstrate that they are exceptionally proficient and experienced in their area of expertise. There are many acknowledged certifications within the trade that are offered. Below are some of the significant ones.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is a nationally acknowledged certification for HVAC techs. 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. Two years of field experience in addition to passing a comprehensive exam are needed for the professional level certification. Master specialists must have three years of experience in addition to a passing result on the professional level exam. As with NATE, certifications are offered in multiple specialties.
EPA Section 608. This certification is mandatory for techs that handle refrigerants. There are 3 types of certification available, one for small appliances, and the additional two for low and high pressure refrigerants.

Considering that licensing could be mandated in your location, and you may also intend to acquire certification, it’s important that you choose an HVAC technical school that will prepare you for both. And since you will probably be dealing with refrigerants, make certain that the school you pick preps you for passing the EPA Section 608 exams.

HVAC Degree and Certificate Classes

Riegelsville PA HVAC contractor installing residential water heater There are a number of alternatives offered 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 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 applicable to the position. The degree training programs might provide a competitive edge in the job market and will provide more extensive training than the certificate programs. Following is a brief summary of each option offered near Riegelsville PA.

Certificate. Normally requiring a high school diploma, certificate programs are very popular among entry level commercial or residential HVAC specialists. They furnish a solid foundation of skills for job opportunities within the industry.
Associate Degree. The Associate Degree in HVAC program provides a more detailed understanding of heating and a/c systems than the certificate program. Typically requiring two years to finish, some degrees include an internship or work-study program.
Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree in HVAC is suited more towards a career in management as well as business ownership. Some programs require an Associate Degree, while others are a standard 4 year program. In addition to learning how to service and maintain heating and cooling systems, you will also study how to design them.

Selecting the ideal credential program will be dependent on what your future career objectives are, in addition to the time and money that you have to invest. One option is to start with a certificate or even an Associate Degree program, and after acquiring some experience in the trade in Riegelsville PA, subsequently going back to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree. If this is your approach, be sure to ask the HVAC technician school you are looking at about how their returning student program works.

HVAC Training Online

attending HVAC Training School Online in Riegelsville PA Attending an HVAC school online is one option in attaining your training and receiving a certificate or degree. Almost all schools will call for some attendance on campus to take part in practical 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 may be attended via the internet, this option may be a more accessible solution for many Riegelsville PA students that are short on time. And many online degree programs are less expensive than other traditional choices. Even travelling expenses from Riegelsville and study supplies can be reduced, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are fully accredited (more on this later). So if your job or family responsibilities have left you with minimal time to attend classes, maybe an HVAC online training program will make it less complicated to fit school into your busy schedule.

What to Ask HVAC Training Classes near Riegelsville PA

After you have selected the type of certificate or degree that you wish to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your list of schools. As you are certainly aware, there are numerous HVAC vocational schools in the Riegelsville PA area and across the USA to choose from. That’s why it is extremely important to have a checklist of relevant qualifiers when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first 2 aspects you will consider. Following are several additional ones that you should investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation. A large number of HVAC trade schools in the Riegelsville PA area have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the HVAC training program be accredited in order to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may mean 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 trade, but also that it has the network of Riegelsville PA HVAC employers to help graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of HVAC training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of Heating and Cooling businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with local Riegelsville PA HVAC specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on 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 tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the HVAC tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Riegelsville PA HVAC contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Riegelsville PA home. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Riegelsville PA, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Attending HVAC School near Riegelsville PA?

Riegelsville, Pennsylvania

Benjamin Riegel founded Riegelsville. The original, and now historic, Riegelsville Inn that he built in 1838 still stands. This historic stone inn has offered food and lodging to Bucks County travelers for over 160 years. The community was named for the Riegel family, as early landowners; they established paper mills across the river in New Jersey.

With the completion of the Delaware Canal in 1832, the lands along the Delaware River attracted great industrial development. The movement of coal, a major important product of the area, brought capital & investment to Easton. Boats carried coal, stone, iron, crops and goods from the mills along the 60 miles from Easton to Bristol. Along Canal Street grew one of the largest industrial manufacturing centers of America during the 1830s and 1840s. Easton continued to prosper as a center for industry, manufacturing, commerce, and culture at the Forks of the Delaware and along the great rail lines. Riegelsville prospered when the Delaware Canal opened in 1832 with warehouses and factories lining its banks. The canal closed in 1931 after 99 years of service and was replaced by the railroads. Today, Riegelsville is a peaceful and quiet town. Woods and fields border the Delaware Canal; remnants of crumbling stone foundations along its banks are reminders of a busy past.

Riegelsville, Pennsylvania was a mill town in the late 1880s and 1900s. The borough overlooks the Delaware River spanned by the 1904 the Riegelsville Bridge built by John A. Roebling's Sons, Co. It is one of the approximately three dozen bridges spanning the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Pick the Right HVAC Trade School near Riegelsville PA

Picking the ideal HVAC training program is a critical first step toward a fulfilling career in the heating & cooling field. As we have addressed in this post, you should select a technical school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the HVAC profession. Other features to search for are ample 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 explore the campus and talk with both the faculty and current students. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. Also, ask about scheduling choices and if night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to ask about financial aid and student loan options as well. If you ask the appropriate questions as we have detailed in our checklist 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 dedication, you can ultimately become a licensed HVAC contractor in Riegelsville PA.