Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are all essentials of plumbing. You need to be competent in all these to land a reliable job. So, you have to learn these skills and get a certification to show to potential employers.
Thus, you need to enroll in HVAC courses to sharpen your skills. Considering this, we have reviewed some of the best HVAC schools in Columbus, OH, for you.
Requirements to Be an HVAC Technician in Columbus, OH
Before launching into a detail of the courses and from where to do them, you need to have a look at the requirements to be an HVAC technician. You need to have specific certifications and skills to get employed. So, let’s have a look at these requirements in detail.
Work Experience
You need to have a continuous apprenticeship of 5 years under a licensed employer. Apprenticeship involves direct handling of things, so it makes you more skilled. You need to have an immediate apprenticeship experience before applying for being an HVAC technician.
Age
While turning in an application for being an HVAC technician, you have to be 18 years of age, at least.
Citizenship
You need to be a US citizen to apply for the license of an HVAC technician. If you are from Ohio or any other state, you can get the license.
Employer’s Certificate
You are required to procure your employer’s certificate, which includes the liability insurance briefing. This should be directly from the employer for whom you worked as an apprentice.
Examination
You need to pass the Ohio HVAC Contractor exam after giving in your application. You can have online practice quizzes to prepare for the final test.
EPA Training
Since HVAC technicians deal with refrigerants, they are expected to have EPA training. The Environment Protection Agency provides certification to HVAC technicians after ensuring that they can deal with refrigerants.
Salary and Job Outlook in Columbus, OH
The job of an HVAC technician can be quite rewarding in Columbus, OH. But, you need to have the right skills and certifications for it. Let’s have a look at the salary and job outlook of HVAC techs in detail.
Salary Range
The salary for HVAC technicians starts from as low as $25,000 and goes as high as $59,000. The median for salary in Ohio is $47,230. The salary depends on your expertise and skills, mainly. You can get a better quote based on the kind of HVAC work required too.
Expected Trends
The need for HVAC technician jobs is expected to increase by 13 percent until 2028. This is mainly due to the increase in the construction of corporate buildings.
Improving Skills
In order to improve your chances of landing more contracts, you need to take up some courses and new certifications. Taking up a corporate HVAC work looks great on your profile, so aim for them.
List of the Top HVAC Schools in Columbus, OH
Learning the right skills and getting accreditation for it is necessary for HVAC technicians. For this, you need to enroll in a program offered by a competent school. Keeping this in mind, we have reviewed some of the most popular HVAC schools in Columbus for you.
Fortis
Our Review of the Program
This is a thorough and nicely put together program which gives you in-depth knowledge. You get to experience the direct mechanisms involved in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. This gives the students a better avenue to both read up on HVAC related stuff and try out different techniques.
Moreover, the students get hands-on training for dealing with various modern appliances. This way, they are enabled to repair all forms of circuits and complex systems of today. This program teaches them to deal with the latest heat pumps, refrigerators, and much more.
Furthermore, as ventilation is a major part of the skillset of an HVAC technician, this program focuses on it. Fortis experts know how important it is for a building to have the right air quality. This is why they put more emphasis on ventilation and regulation of air. So, they teach the students how they can maintain healthy and breathable air quality in any building.
Another impressive thing about the Fortis HVAC course is that there are proper lab settings. The students get to practice all the techniques that they learn in the classroom in the labs. After this extensive training, the graduates are prepared for an entry-level job as HVAC technicians.
Columbus State Community College
Our Review of the Program
The Associate Degree in Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technology has 4 semesters and four 3 credit hour additional courses. This is a thorough course that the trainers have designed while keeping the needs of mechanical environment science in view.
This associate degree by Columbus State Community Colleges focuses on both the basic and complex skills needed by HVAC technicians. Practical training in labs empowers students to be able to do their work with minimal or no supervision.
Moreover, this associate degree lays emphasis on the ethical and regulatory side of HVAC work as well. This enables students to have a sense of personal responsibility when dealing with complex equipment. This program also gives the students an insight into the legalities of HVAC technical work.
Along with all this, this associate degree program teaches the students how they can establish and run their own HVAC companies. The students are taught all the safety precautions as well since they will be dealing with crucial systems. So, each one of them brings along proper tools and a safety kit to all lab sessions.
We find this course highly impressive because most of the graduates get immediate employment with commercial and residential contractors.
Columbus City Schools
Our Review of the Program
The two-year HVAC program at Columbus City Schools is a well thought out course. Year 1 covers hands-on learning and lab work, while year 2 covers the installation of appliances and refrigerants. The best thing about it is the Environment Protection Agency approved coursework for refrigerant installation and repair.
There is a major focus on the refrigeration cycle to enable trainees to control things better. As the students get tasks that require handling of Freon, they get better at repairing the refrigerator. Another important part of the course is the heat cycle and installation of heat pumps.
The students get to practice with real-life heat pumps to understand them better. There is an in-depth observation of thermostat basics to control the heating systems effectively.
Along with these, the associate degree enables the students to deal with complex plumbing as well. This increases their chances of being employed by corporate HVAC technicians too. It includes a 10-hour OSHA training section, too, which helps in taking care of health and safety.
IEC Central Ohio
Our Review of the Program
The HVAC program by IEC Central Ohio offers both course learning and apprenticeship. The training revolves around a multi-dimensional skillset required for HVAC work. The course extends over a duration of 4 years and has extensive classroom learning.
It also involves on-site work opportunities as well, where the trainees experience the work pressure too. Their concerns are duly addressed to enable them to deal with the strain that real jobs bring along. As the course covers the dynamics of ventilation in detail, you get to learn how to regulate air quality.
In addition to this, there is extensive training that concerns the repair of heating and cooling systems. The trainees get to deal with the latest technology involved in the plumbing of commercial buildings too. This helps in gaining the trust of major HVAC companies for their projects.
Also, the people at IEC establish a direct link between noticeable employers and apprentices. This way, they get to have secure jobs by the time their four-year training ends.
Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools
Our Review of the Program
A college tech program is an incredible option for those who want to learn and polish their HVAC skills. The students get to study not only how to adjust the thermostat, but also how it works and how to repair it.
The course helps the students in clearing the examination for HVAC licensure and PEA certification. Most employers demand these certifications, so the Eastland-Fairfield graduates have a high employment rate.
There is also an emphasis on green energy appliances as their use is increasing rapidly. The trainees also learn to read blueprints and work out a system according to them.
In addition to the essential skills for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, the students also train in customer service. This helps them in dealing with future customers in a more professional way and earn their trust.
Conclusion
Summing it all up, you need both skills and certifications to earn the approval of potential employers. This is why you have to assess the list of top HVAC schools in Columbus to see which one suits you best. So, go through it and choose the school which offers your desired course and is nearest to your place.
