Why train professionals for NATE certification?
NATE is the program supported by all facets of the entire industry and backed by the EPA. Graduate to the industry standard of HVAC/R technician excellence to get better visibility for your program! NATE is a third leg of the PIN system of PAHRA-ICE-NATE triumvirate that educational institutions nationwide use to show the need for funding requests. The PIN program helps trainers and educators justify funding for their programs because the standards specified are what manufacturers and trainers nationwide recognize as the specifics a successful HVAC/R program should have to meet student needs for equipment, space, materiel, knowledge, and training.

The NATE program focuses on certification and is designed to strengthen existing training and education programs instead of competing with them. NATE didn't create the essentials of good HVAC/R installation and service practices, we just identified what industry experts agreed were the standard practices. To qualify, you go over a checklist (KATEs) to see what NATE tests cover. Most programs already teach 90% of the material covered by the NATE test(s), so you have to do only minor alignment to train. NATE works with you to set knowledge standards.

Besides getting your program in front of potential students, NATE certification can help validate your training/education through AHRI's PIN program that includes PAHRA, ICE, and NATE. Just compare aggregate data on your students to the national average and you'll know if your programs help technicians better prepare to meet the industry's highest standards!

How proficient are NATE certified technicians?
Very. We won't sugar-coat it - the NATE test is challenging. NATE certified only those technicians who achieve mastery of an industry-approved level of knowledge. The NATE series of tests were developed by industry leaders and reflect a consensus opinion of what the average technician should know to effectively install and service HVAC systems.

NATE certification is designed for Installation and Service technicians who work on  equipment and systems up to 30 tons or 400,000 BTU's: Air Conditioning, Air Distribution, Gas Heating, Heat Pumps, and Oil Heating.

Installation and Service KATEs (Knowledge Areas of Technician Expertise) are available in outline form. All the knowledge base used on the NATE test can be found in these KATEs and incorporated into training.

There are no experience or educational requirements, but NATE recommends that Installation technicians have at least one year of field experience and Service technicians have at least two years' field experience. Those with less should have taken and passed ICE - the Industry Competency Exam. The more education and training a technician has received, the more likely he or she is to pass the exam of their choice.

How to Become a Testing Organization (TO)?
Any organization can apply to become a testing organization (see Test and Testing Organizations) by filling out a testing organization application form and by agreeing to follow the Testing Organization guidelines, policies, and procedures. Testing Organizations can offer the NATE test and training for the NATE test or recertification testing.

How Can I Become a Proctor?
Testing Organizations must have proctors to administer the tests. All NATE testing sessions, whether electronic or paper and pencil must have a proctor administer the test. Proctors do not have to be skilled technicians, but they must be good administrators who can follow NATE guidelines and who will read the proctor script to technicians at every testing session.

There are three conflict of interest situations with which all proctors must comply.  Proctors should not :

• Be an employer or co-worker who can hire or fire any candidate in he testing session
• Be a relative of anyone in the testing session
• Receive direct financial gain from the outcome of any candidate's testing.

How Can My Organization Earn NATE Recognition for its training?
Organizations can train for the NATE test, can offer Recertification CEUs that are NATE Recognized, or can offer CEUs that are not NATE Recognized.

Training for the NATE tests is not always suitable for continuing education, especially if the material in the course primarily covers what are fundamental or basic entry-level skills. Courses submitted will be evaluated and will earn NATE Recognition depending upon subject areas derived from the KATEs (Knowledge Areas of Technician Expertise) that they cover.

Courses which earn NATE Recognition are suitable for use as CEU’s for Recertification by continuing Education. These courses are referred to as NATE-Recognized Training.

To earn course recognition, the course material must be submitted with an Alignment Recognition document (available on the Information/Forms/Data page) that contains a checklist of skills, topics and items covered by each KATE. By checking the boxes, the training provider shows how his course’s curriculum relates to the NATE test knowledge base, the KATEs. It costs $50 per course to submit them for approval. NATE Recognition process may take four to six weeks.

After a course earns NATE Recognition, it is listed as a Recognized Training Provider on NATE’s website and issued a course identification number, and information about how many CEU’s it gives the recertification candidate, how many specialties it counts toward.

Candidates can take courses which have not earned NATE Recognition, but the burden of proof for showing how it directly relates to the KATEs lies with the candidate who should submit a 25-50 word description of the course which specifies its relevance.