Resource Guide for Students of The Refrigeration School

The Refrigeration School (RSI) has been training students for careers in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) for fifty years. We help our students reach success both during and after training by offering assistance with finding funding for school, housing, and jobs, as well as special services for military personnel and veterans. In this article, you’ll learn more about the resources available to students who are preparing for a dynamic career in the growing field of HVAC/R.

Financial Aid

Determining how to pay for your education can be a daunting task. However, funding should never stand between an individual and his or her career of choice. These days, students have several options to help them pay for school, and we work with them to select the best one for their situation, including financial aid for those who qualify.

What Types of Financial Aid Are Available?

• Federal Grants and Loans: Federal student loans often come with a low interest rate and can be paid back after graduation. There is also a long list of grant programs available for career and technical education; grants are a form of financial aid that does not have to be repaid.
• Scholarships: Every year millions of dollars of scholarship money available to students goes unclaimed. Each type of scholarship has a unique set of requirements, such as heritage, grades, socioeconomic, career field, and more.
• Military Educational Benefits: Often referred to as the GI Bill, this program allows active duty, veterans, and sometimes the children of veterans to have access to educational funding.
• Private Loans: These are loans from banks and other private lenders that often have a higher interest rate and may require a cosigner.

How Much Financial Aid Do You Need?

As you consider financial aid, keep in mind that RSI has a handy cost-of-education calculator. Use this tool to obtain an estimate of how much money you’ll need for school.

Student Housing Services

The Refrigeration School has a housing assistance program for students. Our partnership with EDUrent offers help with finding a roommate or even with raising the funds to pay for housing. We want you to be worry-free during your HVAC/R training.

Options for housing include:

• Renting an apartment or house
• Sharing a living space with roommates

Comprehensive Career Services

The Refrigeration School’s vocational training programs attract attention from local and national employers. We offer comprehensive career assistance to all of our students. These services include:

• Assistance with looking for work on the open job market, such as help with resume preparation and developing interviewing skills.
• Opportunities for students to meet local and national business owners on campus at job fairs and networking events.
• Educational programs that train students for a wide range of jobs. In so doing, we offer numerous possibilities for your future career.
• Providing continuing education classes for those who graduated in good standing with the school. Keeping HVAC/R skills current can be essential to maintaining certain certifications and access to better jobs and pay.

Assistance for Military and Veteran Students

The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that there are 21.8 million veterans in this country, and 92 percent of those who are 25 or older have at least a high school diploma. After serving our country, these men and women deserve access to the educational opportunities that can help them secure well-paying jobs in growing industries. RSI welcomes military personnel and veterans into its vocational training programs. With special funding from the GI Bill and MyCAA program, military students can find a huge opportunity for career development and conversion from the military to the civilian job sector through our HVAC/R, solar, and electrician training programs.

Why Choose HVAC/R as a Career?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics ¹ describes heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers as career fields that are expected to grow at a rate of 21 percent through 2022. The data suggests these industries will develop 55,900 jobs during that time. As an incentive, the 2012 median pay rate was $43,640 annually or $20.98 per hour. These are jobs that do not require a four-year degree, but, given the increasing complexity of HVAC/R systems, employers generally prefer to hire those who’ve completed training at a reputable trade school.

HVAC/R can be a promising career path for individuals who have received comprehensive HVAC training. The Refrigeration School has a long history of preparing students to enter the HVAC/R industry and, more recently, has created solar training programs to help meet the growing labor demand of the renewable energy sector. With personalized service, financial aid, and job placement assistance, we offer our students an opportunity to find success. For more information about enrollment, contact RSI today.