Bradford, VT – ARC Mechanical Contractors recently announced the recent NORA (National Oilheat Research Alliance) certification of four service technicians. Adam Cate, a North Sutton, NH, resident; Shaylor Duranleau, a Claremont, NH, resident; Rob Ingalls, a Thetford, VT, resident, and Ray Welch, a Wentworth, NH, resident are now Silver Certified Technicians.
Silver certification, which is good for five years, requires three years of experience plus 100 hours of training. The exam has 100 multiple choice questions and 78 correct answers are required to pass. To renew Silver certification, technicians need 24 continuing education credits, or can retake the Silver test or test for Gold certification.
ARC is committed to the continuing education and training of our technicians, installers, estimators and project managers. In 2007, ARC decided to hire young, unskilled workers fresh out of school and train them in house. We select people with good attitudes, good learning skills and a desire to work, and then educate them and team them up with good mentors. ARC’s approach to training, licensing and certifying our own staff has proven successful. Some of these young inexperienced employees are now licensed team leaders, foremen, mentors and trainers for the next group of apprentices. ARC created our own HVAC apprenticeship program, and is also actively involved with HVAC apprenticeship programs in the states of Vermont and New Hampshire
The NORA Oilheat Technician Certification Program provides a national standard for Technician Training. It gives credibility and recognition to Master Technicians. It encourages Technicians to become perpetual students by requiring Continuing Education. It builds upon and supplements existing education programs. It gives companies who invest in education for their Technicians a way to differentiate themselves from those companies that do not. Currently, there are over 10,000 NORA certified technicians.
The diagnostic tools technicians use have also improved dramatically. New digital test equipment gives technicians the information they need to maximize a system’s safety, efficiency, and reliability.
