Online HVAC courses have exploded in recent years as technology has made it cheaper, faster than traditional classes, and allows you to learn at your own pace. With COVID-19 and traditional classrooms shut down, online courses are also seeing a massive boost in people seeking online training.
It is hard to find the best online HVAC courses because of the numerous options online. This article will go through a few choices you have for HVAC training, and in the end, we will decide on the Best Online HVAC Course in 2020.
What Is Online HVAC Training
Before we start looking at online HVAC training, let's dive into what that means. Online HVAC courses are classes that can be accessed with the internet. There is no classroom involved. It is an ideal learning environment for workers who are studying after the day job or don't want to go back to college. Online HVAC courses prepare you to become an HVAC technician through:
video presentation
animations
simulations
discussions
quizzes
forums
Online courses often ditch the dull and dry textbook which classrooms follow. Instead, they use interactive presentations, quizzes, and videos to help you learn complex topics. Let's dive into the best online HVAC courses in 2020!
Best Online HVAC Training Courses In 2020
SkillCat's Free Online HVAC Training
SkillCat's free online HVAC training is designed to get you into an HVAC technician job as fast as possible. The course uses video, quizzes, and animations to teach you the essential HVAC concepts. The HVAC training is also designed to prepare you for certifications like OSHA 10, NATE ready to work, EPA 608 universal, and NATE support technician. SkillCat's course is different from the rest of the list since it is:
Free
Quick to complete
Uses simulations
Gets you certificates
Helps you find a job
One of the biggest reasons I like SkillCat is that they have partnered with several leading HVAC companies to help get you a job after you graduate. SkillCat's hiring partners can reduce the uncertainty which a lot of applicants feel heading into training.
Interplay Online HVAC Courses
Interplay has created short HVAC videos to teach you HVAC technician skills. Interplay is excellent for getting started in the HVAC space since the short videos make concepts very simple. Their online HVAC training does not help you get hired upon completion, but it does have VR simulations, which can be a cool way to learn if you have the equipment.
The biggest downside of interplay is that its content is costly. Interplay's material costs $200 a year. Since many people looking for HVAC training are in between jobs, that is a high price for their online HVAC course.
Pen Foster Online HVAC Course
Pen Foster is a popular online HVAC school. Similar to SkillCat, they are a self-paced program and entirely online. They have the most extended program on this list, with it taking five months to graduate. One of Pen Foster's strengths is that it is accredited. Their course being accredited means that organizations within the HVAC industry have approved their curriculum and is a big plus for them.
Pen Foster is the most expensive option on this list. It will cost $900 to gain access to Pen Foster's online HVAC training. Their HVAC program also gives you access to career services to help you get a job after graduation.
TCP Online HVAC Training
TCP training will teach you 46 essential skills for an HVAC technician. Each skill lesson will cost between $60-$80, so the price can add up fast for workers looking to enter the industry. I think TCP is a better option for continuing education since the total course can be too expensive for most people.
The Best Online HVAC Course In 2020 Is......
SkillCat is our best online HVAC course in 2020 because of several reasons:
It is free (Hard to beat that)
SkillCat helps you find a job
Only four weeks to graduate
Simulations allow you to practice real-world skills
Certification preparation
Let's go a little deeper on each point:
It is free
Many of the courses we covered in this post require you to pay to access their best online HVAC training. SkillCat changed this by offering its best content for free to anyone interested in becoming an HVAC technician. That is a big plus for SkillCat.
SkillCat helps you find a job
SkillCat has partnered with leading HVAC companies to hire HVAC technicians that have completed their training course. With so many online courses taking 2-5 months to complete, it is nice to know that you will get help finding a job. Some of the other programs on the list do not provide this service, and it's a big part of why SkillCat's training is the best online HVAC course in 2020.
Only four weeks to graduate
SkillCat's online HVAC course takes between 2-4 weeks to graduate. That is significantly shorter than other competitors on the market, like Pen Foster, which takes five months! They only included material you needed to know for certifications and doing the job. No fluff or useless content.
Simulations allow you to practice real-world skills
Simulations make skillCat's training incredibly unique. Simulations will enable you to test your HVAC skills in real-world situations. You practice using a multimeter and other technician skills over the web. When it comes to the job, you will be ready to go.
Certification Preparation
SkillCat's online HVAC course has a heavy emphasis on preparing you for industry-standard certificates. Their curriculum covers topics for the EPA 608 universal certificate, OSHA 10, NATE Ready To Work, and the NATE HVAC Support Technician exam. SkillCat's course puts you in a great place to understand the concepts and have the certificates to prove your knowledge.
Summary
Those are all the reasons that we chose SkillCat's course as our best online HVAC course in 2020. The other classes were great too, so if one of them stands out to you, go for it! If SkillCat seems like a great fit, you can find more information here. Good luck!
Interested in learning a skilled trade? Check out SkillCat. We provide free online training and job placement to graduates of our bootcamps. You can find our free online HVAC courses for the EPA 608, NATE Ready To Work, and more.
P.S. if you are interested in HVAC training, you should also check out our complete guide to HVAC training. It has everything you could want to know about HVAC training.