Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are essential parts of American life.
You can find them just about everywhere you look, including most homes, businesses, and public facilities.
Since HVAC systems are so prevalent, we need professionals to design, build, and provide service and maintenance for those systems.
Professionals in the HVAC industry begin their professional careers with the proper training and schooling.
Below you will find a list of HVAC schools in Tampa, Florida.
1 Florida Career College
About the School
Florida Career College has a total of 11 different campuses in the states of Florida and Texas.
This school focuses on vocational and trade training with hands-on experience rather than degrees that focus on book learning and required courses not related to the field of study.
Florida Career College has its main focus on the categories of healthcare, business, and skilled trades, such as HVAC and automotive technician.
Most of the programs at Florida Career College last around 10 months instead of the typical two to four years that a regular type of college has.
This school has the option of financial aid and assistance available for those students who cannot afford the tuition.
However, because of the length of the programs, Florida Career College is more affordable than its competitors.
Courses Offered
The HVAC program at Florida Career College prepares its students for two different certifications that are required to work as an HVAC technician.
These certifications include the EPA Section 608 Certification for Stationary Air Conditioning and Refrigeration and the Universal R-410A.
As mentioned above, you can complete the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning program in approximately 10 months.
This program is a combination of online learning and on-campus learning and labs.
The courses in the HVAC program aim to teach students how to troubleshoot, repair, and install HVAC systems in residential and commercial settings.
Address: 9950 Princess Palm Ave, Suite 100, Tampa, FL, 33619
2 Altierus Career College
About the School
The programs that Altierus Career College has available are as follows:
- Dental Assistant
- Electrical Technician
- HVAC
- Massage Therapy
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Pharmacy Technician
Unfortunately, Altierus Career College is not accepting new student enrollments.
They plan to teach the remaining students, meaning that they will continue providing educational services until all of the current students have either earned their degrees or have another plan in place.
Courses Offered
The HVAC program at Altierus Career College has a blended program.
A blended program is a mix between online and on-campus learning and hands-on experiences.
The HVAC program focuses on servicing and maintaining HVAC systems and refrigeration systems.
Address: 3319 West Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33614
3 Hillsborough Community College
About the School
Hillsborough Community College was founded in 1968 and is considered to be the fifth biggest community college in the state college system.
This school has a total of three centers, five campuses, and an online platform.
Hillsborough Community College includes more than 200 academic options, including degrees, certifications, and programs.
Courses Offered
Hillsborough Community College offers an apprenticeship training program for HVAC technicians.
In this program, the apprentice is in the classroom in the evenings and on the weekends while they work full-time with a sponsoring HVAC employer during the weekdays.
To qualify for the apprentice training program, a student must complete the following requirements:
- Is at least 18 years old
- Has a high school diploma or equivalent
- Has a valid driver’s license
- Transportation to and from work and classes
- Physically able to handle the job demands
Address: 4001 W Tampa Bay Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33614
4 Florida Technical College
About the School
Florida Technical College is an accredited and licensed technical college that offers programs in a vocational or technical setting rather than a regular college setting.
This school offers financial aid options through the federal department of education to allow students the best chance to get the education that will further their careers.
Some of the types of programs Florida Technical College offers include the categories of business, healthcare, and information technology.
Courses Offered
Some of the courses Florida Technical College offers in its HVAC/R with PLC diploma program include the following:
- Applied math for HVAC technicians
- Introduction to electricity (DC-AC)
- Introduction to refrigeration and A/C
- Refrigeration and A/C: Residential
- Refrigeration and A/C: Commercial
- Heat pumps and related systems
- Electrical instrumentation: Lab
- Residential Equipment: Lab
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laws and regulations
- Digital Electronics
- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
- Programmable Logic Controller Units: Lab
Address: 1111 North West Shore Blvd, Suite 200, Tampa, FL, 33607
5 Southern Technical College
About the School
Southern Technical College is an accredited college that has campuses in seven different areas, including Tampa, Sanford, Brandon, Orlando, Fort Meyers, Auburndale, and Port Charlotte.
Courses Offered
The HVAC program at Southern Technical College takes about ten months to complete.
The purpose of this program is to train students for entry-level HVAC positions.
Several courses are part of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning program, including the following:
- Introduction to building construction
- Basic electricity and electronics
- Motors and controls
- Air conditioning and refrigeration theory
- Air conditioning
- Applied heating
- HVAC system design
- Commercial refrigeration
- Commercial air conditioning
- Career Preparation
Address: 3910 Riga Blvd, Tampa, FL, 33619
Schools Summary Table
Rank | School | |
---|---|---|
#1 | Florida Career College | |
#2 | Altierus Career College | |
#3 | Hillsborough Community College | |
#4 | Florida Technical College | |
#5 | Southern Technical College |
Read the full guide: How to Become an HVAC Technician