In Part 1 of this two-part series, I discussed what NATE is and why it’s important to obtain your certification. Today, I’d like to talk about changes in the NATE recertification process and the benefits of being recertified.
How has the NATE recertification process changed?
In the past, your NATE certification stayed active for five years. You then needed to complete 60 hours of continued NATE-certified education and mail in your class certificates, paperwork, and a $125 processing fee to apply for recertification. Many technicians would lose their credentials simply because they had difficulty locating NATE-approved courses and couldn’t accumulate the required hours.
NATE has now modified the recertification process to help technicians complete the requirements in a timely fashion. Technicians need to attain only 16 hours of training every two years, upload completion certificates to the NATE website, and pay a $25 processing fee to be recertified.
What long-term benefits does NATE recertification provide?
NATE recertification keeps technicians on the cutting edge of the technology. Let’s face it, this industry changes each year with new government mandates and technology upgrades. We can’t change the basic HVAC system operation, but we must change the way these systems are built. As equipment gets more complicated and computer-driven, technicians must stay NATE certified to learn the newest HVAC trends and technologies.
How can HVAC Learning Solutions help?
HVAC Learning Solutions has taken steps to make NATE recertification easier for you. We make sure all of our classes are NATE certified, so you’re guaranteed to get your required training hours. In fact, enrolling in any two instructor-led, one-day course will earn you all 16 necessary hours. To lessen the burden of logging your information, we record your NATE ID in your class profile and automatically upload your training hours to NATE’s website after each class, whether online or instructor-led. We want to be the trusted training partner that helps you focus on servicing the customer, becoming a better technician, and moving up the managerial ladder.
Guest blogger Jose De La Portilla is a senior technical training consultant for HVAC Learning Solutions. For more information on HVAC tips and trends, check out Jose’s vlogs on our YouTube channel!