HVAC Technician Careers
Menu

HVAC training in Des Plaines, IL

Oakton College HVAC program

The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration | Oakton College is an associate-level path that emphasizes heating and hydronic systems, refrigerant systems, and diagnostics and troubleshooting. If those subjects match the work you want to do, ask admissions for the current price, class times, and lab schedule.

Program information checked 2026-09-19

Is Oakton College an HVAC training option in Des Plaines?

Yes. Oakton College offers the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration | Oakton College in Des Plaines. The curriculum emphasizes heating and hydronic systems, refrigerant systems, and diagnostics and troubleshooting. Before you apply, confirm the next start date, complete price, weekly lab schedule, and exact credential.

Credential level
Associate's HVAC path
School and location
Oakton College, Des Plaines, IL
Information checked
2026-09-19

Program name

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration | Oakton College

This is the college's official program name. Ask whether the Des Plaines campus is accepting students for your preferred term and whether any required courses begin on a different schedule.

Courses, systems, and skills

What you'll study

The published curriculum emphasizes heating and hydronic systems, refrigerant systems, and diagnostics and troubleshooting. Use these questions to learn how classroom instruction connects with supervised work on equipment.

01

Heating, furnaces, boilers, or hydronics

Which heating systems are available in the lab for startup, testing, and diagnosis?

02

Refrigeration and refrigerant systems

Which recovery, evacuation, charging, and diagnostic procedures will you perform?

03

Service, diagnostics, and troubleshooting

What faults will instructors introduce, and how is your diagnostic process scored?

04

Residential heating and cooling

Will you practice complete installation and service calls or isolated component tasks?

05

Airflow, ventilation, and ductwork

Which duct-design, airflow-measurement, and balancing tasks will you complete in the lab?

Curriculum and equipment highlights

  • Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration
  • Degrees and Certificates
  • EPA Section 608 Certificate
  • Residential Comfort Control Certificate
  • Commercial Buildings Energy Systems Certificate
  • Stationary Engineering License Preparation Certificate
  • Take Career Assessment
  • Robert Axelrod, PEPresidentCooling Equipment Service
  • Mike KaplanService ManagerKaplan’s Heating and Cooling
  • We award $12 million in scholarships annually
  • Program: Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology A.A.S., Degree
  • Allen Schwartz, PEDirector of EngineeringFerguson Heating and Cooling Supply

Career directions mentioned by the college

  • Residential Comfort Systems Installer Certificate

Items to confirm for your start term

Associate of Applied ScienceCredential
EPA Section 608 preparation is discussedCertification
Licensing requirements are discussedLicensing
A scholarship route is mentionedFunding

From class to field work

How the curriculum connects to HVAC work

The curriculum connects airflow with troubleshooting. That matters because comfort complaints are not always equipment failures. Ask whether students measure static pressure, temperature change, and delivered airflow while diagnosing a system.

Ask how the credential options fit together

The official page mentions more than one credential or program path. Ask which option matches your goal, whether credits stack into the associate degree, and how admission rules, financial aid, completion time, and total price differ.

Questions for admissions

What to ask before you apply

  1. Program cost: What would a student starting in my term pay for tuition, fees, books, tools, protective equipment, and required tests?
  2. Weekly schedule: Which classes and labs require attendance in Des Plaines, and are evening, weekend, or part-time sequences available?
  3. Hands-on assessment: Which heating systems are available in the lab for startup, testing, and diagnosis?
  4. Credential: Which courses in Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration | Oakton College are required for the Associate's credential, and can any shorter award stack into it?
  5. Refrigerant certification: Where would I prepare for and take the EPA Section 608 exam if it is not included in Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration | Oakton College?

Compare the curriculum

How other Illinois HVAC programs differ

Use these subject differences to compare nearby options. For each alternative, verify the schedule, price, equipment access, and current availability before deciding which program fits you best.

Decatur, IL · Associate's

Richland Community College

Shared emphasis: heating and hydronic systems and airflow and ductwork.

Another subject to compare: commercial systems. Ask admissions how much course and lab time it receives.

Joliet, IL · Associate's

Joliet Junior College

Shared emphasis: airflow and ductwork and heating and hydronic systems.

Another subject to compare: lab and shop work. Ask admissions how much course and lab time it receives.

Carterville, IL · Associate's

John A Logan College

Shared emphasis: heating and hydronic systems and refrigerant systems.

Another subject to compare: controls and automation. Ask admissions how much course and lab time it receives.

Next decisions

Sources and dates