HVAC

The HVAC programme is offered via traditional delivery and distance education delivery and prepares graduates for a career in air-conditioning, heating systems and refrigeration at both the commercial and residential levels. Students learn to install, maintain and repair essential temperature control equipment found in homes and businesses.

Topics include refrigeration and air conditioning technology; system evacuation, refrigerants, and system charging; automatic, electronic, and programmable controls; heating systems; commercial refrigeration; EPA regulations and energy efficiency; and green technology and the future of the HVAC field. Students train on a wide variety of cooling and heating systems common to the industry, receive instruction on piping using a wide variety of materials, and work with troubleshooting equipment addressing issues they will face in the field.

The programme includes 390 hours of hands-on lab training, residential and commercial/industrial HVAC systems training, crew leadership training, preparation for 10 career certifications, 13 career skill badges, and morning or evening courses. SCI is authorized by NCCER as a certification testing site; NCCER Core and Levels 1-3 and EPA Section 608 Technician exam fees are included in tuition if taken within three months of completion, and Indoor Air Quality, R-410A, PM Tech, OSHA-10 and the NATE Ready-to-Work Certificate are available at additional cost.

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 and received its initial accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education in 1991. It trains students at eight Texas campuses and online, and its campuses are authorized testing sites for the National Healthcareer Association and Certiport. Students earn skill badges as they progress, and SCI Connect, the school’s career services portal, lets students build a profile with their resume, skill badges and videos of them performing job tasks for employers who post jobs there.

Before you start. Prior to the start date, you must visit the school and tour the campus (if you are enrolling in a programme with on-campus classes) and complete an interview with a licensed representative in the Admissions department.

Age and education. You must be at least 16 years of age. An applicant who is under 18 at the time of admission must provide proof of a high school diploma or GED and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian, who co-signs the enrollment agreement. You must provide verifiable official documentation of completion of secondary education within 21 calendar days of starting school: a high school diploma or transcript showing the graduation date, a home school transcript, a recognised high school equivalency certificate, an associate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognised by the US Department of Education, or a foreign credential evaluated by a NACES member or a TEA-listed evaluation service.

Criminal history. Prospective students must provide criminal history information. Anyone with a convicted or pending felony violent crime, a convicted or pending serious felony drug crime, any sex offense conviction or pending felony sexual case, or who is a registered sex offender is not eligible for enrollment in any programme. SCI reserves the right to conduct criminal background checks.

English. SCI does not provide ESL instruction; classes are taught in English. Students whose primary language is not English must document English proficiency, for example graduation from an English-speaking secondary institution, a TOEFL iBT score of 61, an IELTS level of 6, or a grade of C in an intermediate ESL course.

SCI admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

HVAC requirements. Applicants sign a release for a criminal history and employability background check conducted by the school; students who do not pass will have their enrollment terminated. A valid, state-issued driver’s license is strongly recommended because it will be required for employment.

Shifts. HVAC classes run Monday to Friday in a morning shift (8:00 am to 1:40 pm) or an evening shift (6:00 pm to 11:20 pm). The estimated completion time is 36 weeks.

Modules. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously; the externship module is six weeks. For ground programmes on the flex schedule, assignments and in-person lab classes are scheduled on two set days a week, and lectures are completed online through video instruction that can be watched at any time of day before the hands-on labs. Schedules are representative and may vary by campus.

Tuition: $20,025.00; mandatory fees: $0.00; total: $20,025.00.

Graduates may be eligible to become registered HVAC technicians through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and may find entry-level employment in residential or commercial fields as maintenance and repair technicians, heating and air conditioning mechanics and installers, refrigeration mechanics and installers, home appliance repairers, industrial machinery mechanics, and installation, maintenance, and repair workers.

Graduates may become Certified HVAC Technicians after 24 months of air conditioning and refrigeration-related work under the supervision of a licensed contractor, and Licensed HVAC Contractors after 48 months of practical experience. HVAC professionals work in residential and commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, government facilities, and industrial plants.

Career services. Career Services are available to active students and graduates. Staff strive to meet every student before graduation for an exit interview that includes a customised job-search profile, an entry-level resume and a mock interview; they provide resume and interview help and work with local employers to match their needs with graduates’ skills. SCI does not guarantee employment or a specific starting salary.

Orientation. Before beginning their programmes, all new students attend an orientation session to hear about the campus and the learning experience and to meet the administrative staff, faculty and other students. Campus department directors explain the student support available and clarify students’ responsibilities and expectations. Students registered for distance-education courses also attend an online orientation that introduces the learning platform and the standards for postings, plagiarism, online etiquette and attendance.

Classes. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously (the AAS in Nursing runs in 15-week terms), and the externship module, where a programme has one, is six weeks. Learning new material may require at least five additional outside hours for every 20 hours spent in lecture or laboratory. To graduate you must complete all courses within the maximum time frame and earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduation ceremonies are typically held twice a year.

Support. Student services include tutoring, attendance advising and academic advising, and SCI gives referrals to community resources for housing, childcare, employment, transportation, mental health services and alcohol and drug counselling. SCI does not provide housing. Students receive skill badges to mark milestones and help market their skills.