ReplyWow, 29 views and no welcomes. Sorry Shawn.
Welcome here! Get that post count up and apply for pro membership.
Thanks for your service to our country!
Professional Member
Hey everyone, my name is Shawn. I recently retired from the AF after 20 years. It was a good ride but time to move on. My final job in the military was mainly management but prior to that I maintained the power generation and HVAC systems on ICBM silos for 16 years. I really enjoyed it and plan to get into HVAC as a civilian. I start school in December to learn the civilian side of the house. Most of what I worked on was pneumatic and I would like to get up to speed more updated systems.
Shawn
Professional Member*
Wow, 29 views and no welcomes. Sorry Shawn.
Welcome here! Get that post count up and apply for pro membership.
Thanks for your service to our country!
Professional Member*
Greetings from a nieghbor about 90 miles to the southwest. Have you decided what school you are going to? Omaha has some good ones but being on the advisory board for SCC Milford might I suggest that school.
Good luck with your civilian future and "THANK YOU" for your years of service. If you ever have any questions I have contact info in my user profile.
Enjoy this site.
Professional Member
Welcome!
Enjoy your new career. It's been 17 years since I retired from the AF.
Did 4 at Offutt, and a few years at one of the sites in state.
Lots of very good info here, jump right in...
Again, welcome and thanks for your service.
( Going downtown later to watch the Huskers )
Professional Member
Thanks everyone!
Kls-ccc, thanks for mentioning Milford. I wish it were closer to Bellevue. I plan to go to Metro Community College. I saw advertisements for Vetterot but have also found many no so nice reviews about it online so it looks like I will be starting at Metro in December.
Shawn
Professional Member*
If memory serves me correctly I have a friend that is a FSR that went through Metro and he turned out OK so you should be at a good school. The thing to remember is you only get out what you put in. Study hard.
Regular Guest
Hello,
I just finished my first week at Vatterott. It is an fast pace program which is what I was looking for. Metro is a ton cheaper though! It was a good first week and I learned allot. Only downfall is that I feel old in class even at 34. Lots of younger students, but there are a few career changers as well. Keep us posted on how things go when you start class!
Ryan
Professional Member
Ryan,
What made you choose Vatterott over Metro? Was there anything specific you found Vatterott offered that Metro did not? Old at 34...I'm 38, guess I will enjoy feeling old in class as well! LOL!
Shawn
New Guest
Shawn I'm from Bellevue also. I've been looking to do change in my life and have been discussing with my wife about going to metro for hvac school in December also. I've heard nothing but good things about metro and have heard they are the best in the area right now. How long is the course.. 2 years ??
Professional Member
Holt,
As far as I know it is a 2 yr program. At the end of the 2 yrs people grad with an associates degree. I already have a bachelor’s degree so I should only have to take the technical classes. Hopefully that will cut some time down for me so I can get into the work force sooner. Glad to hear people are saying good things about the school and the course. If you are starting in December we will probably run into each other in class.
Shawn
Regular Guest
If you're serious about starting HVAC at Metro in December you need to sign up for classes now before they are full. Because of the bad economy ,everybody is in school right now and the classes will fill up very fast as we approach Dec. 5.Originally Posted by Holt
You don't need to formally apply for admission and can probably sign up for classes online. You'll eventually want to consult a counselor to plan out your certificate program, or 2-yr. degree, and you will eventually have to take the placement assessment test for your future English/math/science classes. The HVAC classes themselves are on the MCC Elkhorn campus.
http://www.mccneb.edu/hvac/default.asp
http://www.mccneb.edu/schedule/class...sp?sterm=11/WI
Last edited by snewman24; 10-02-2011 at 12:43 AM. Reason: Added links
Professional Member
Snewman24,
Thanks for the advice and the links. I will head to Metro this week to get this taken care of.
Shawn
Regular Guest
Shawn, with your Bachelors, of course you wouldn't have to take the assessment because your math/English/science credits would transfer over.
You'd probably want to start with HVAC 1000 & 1010 if you can go 4 nights a week. The current tuition rate is $53 per credit hour (including fees) and when I went thru the program there were only a few books required for the HVAC classes - Modern Refrigeration, Manual J & N, and a few others. They're good about providing handouts, etc. and holding the cost down on books so that you can afford to buy the tools that are required to be accumulated as you take classes.
Regular Guest
And let me add one last thing for those in the Omaha area contemplating HVAC school. I'm very biased toward state-supported non-profit schools because they are a much better value. A 2-yr. degree at Metro would be roughly $6000 including tuition, fees and books. Vatterott College lists their program at $40,050.
http://www.vatterott-college.edu/oma...c-training.asp
Last edited by snewman24; 10-02-2011 at 01:31 AM. Reason: typo
Professional Member
Snewman24,
That is awesome to hear! I was wondering how Metro would handle my Bachelor's degree. I have another question. In 1993 while I was in the AF, my career field dealt with a couple of different refrigeration systems. Because of this all technicians had to get EPA certified. I received my Universal certification from Ferris State University. I still have my card, certificate and the test results of how I did in each category. My question is do you know if Metro would require me to take their EPA certification class as part of their curriculum? As far as them trying to keep the cost down so we can buy the reuired tools, that is awesome as well. Do you know if there is anyway I could get my hands on the tool list so I can get a jump on that. (My plan would be to make the tools part of my Christmas list)
Thanks for all of the info!
Shawn
Professional Member
Holy Crap! I have to agree!
Regular Guest
Hey Shawn,
The main thing that I wanted was something all under one roof, I sign up, I leave 13 months later with everything all taken care of. Honestly I really considered Metro and for the price you cant beat it. I have taken many business and insurance courses at MCC and have always been really happy with them. The only downfall is that you need to be really on top of things when you are going through a program otherwise the courses fill up so fast that you are waitlisting everything and not getting the dates/times that you want. That can really slow things down. If this was 10 years ago for me, I would have had no problem with that, but with a career change and family, I needed the structure/speed of Vatterott.
I like going to class 8-1230 M-Th and not having to worry about anything else. But that was just my preference. They also have night classes as well and you can easily change to those if necessary. It is expensive though! But it works for me and I have been very happy so far.
Thanks, and really cool to see all the local folks on here!
Ryan
Regular Guest
XXSnewman24,
................................ I received my Universal certification from Ferris State University. I still have my card, certificate and the test results of how I did in each category. My question is do you know if Metro would require me to take their EPA certification class as part of their curriculum?
Strangely, the EPA certification class has never been part of the required curriculum even though they do offer the class and everyone takes it if needed. So, since you are already certified you don't have to re-take it.
As far as them trying to keep the cost down so we can buy the required tools, that is awesome as well. Do you know if there is anyway I could get my hands on the tool list so I can get a jump on that. (My plan would be to make the tools part of my Christmas list)
I will try to look up the tool list. You don't have to buy everything at once, you buy the needed tools for a particular class. There are also several supply houses around Omaha that offer a 10% discount for Metro students if you ask.
Thanks for all of the info!
Shawn
Regular Guest
Omapilot...the following is not meant as personal criticism of you but as general information for anyone coming upon this thread in the future who's looking a both schools and trying to decide which one meets their needs:
The main thing that I wanted was something all under one roof, I sign up, I leave 13 months later with everything all taken care of.
I assume the 13 month program is a certificate program which Metro also has. And all classes should be available at the Metro Elkhorn campus so I don't see the "all under the same roof" argument as valid.
....................... The only downfall is that you need to be really on top of things when you are going through a program otherwise the courses fill up so fast that you are waitlisting everything and not getting the dates/times that you want. That can really slow things down. If this was 10 years ago for me, I would have had no problem with that, but with a career change and family, I needed the structure/speed of Vatterott.
If you really need someone to help you with class sequence then you can go see a counselor and have them set out your semester (quarter) class plan for you. You can even have them actually sign you up for classes each quarter if that's easier for you. Personally, I much prefer to do it myself online. Metro lets you sign up for classes several months in advance. There's no excuse for doing it at the last minute when classes are already full.
I like going to class 8-1230 M-Th and not having to worry about anything else. But that was just my preference. They also have night classes as well and you can easily change to those if necessary. It is expensive though! But it works for me and I have been very happy so far.
Metro also has morning, afternoon (a few) and night classes. If you want to go to school with the youngsters go during the day. If you prefer the more mature crowd (very interesting people, very diverse) take classes in the evening.
Regular Guest
[QUOTE=ShawnRPrice;11400392 Do you know if there is anyway I could get my hands on the tool list so I can get a jump on that. (My plan would be to make the tools part of my Christmas list)
[/QUOTE]
I found my copy of the required tools list, from many years ago, and it may be a little different now but this will give you an idea of what you need for the first two introductory classes - HVAC 1000 & HVAC 1010:
Hvac 1000:
screwdriver set, flashlight, roll of electrical tape, wire stripper, amp clamp, DMM that includes capacitance function, simple digital calculator, and plastic plier-type cartridge fuse puller.
HVAC 1010:
Manifold test set, dial thermometers (-40°F. to 160°F.) & (0° - 220°F.), 10-inch crescent wrench,& a refrigerator ratchet wrench.
If you want a current list call Bob Ruther (head of the program) at the Elkhorn Valley Campus at 402-289-1380. He'd probably also be happy to show you around and let you look at the labs and installed equipment if you ask.
Posting Permissions
