T R A I N I N G
finished exams are returned to Ross, who grades them and issues a certificate to each student who passes, and a notice of failure to each student who doesn't. The tight control over the tests is designed to ensure the
integrity of the examinations and certifications. "I'm the only person who has the NORA tests," Ross said. "I'm the only per- son who distributes those tests. I'm the only person who grades those tests." The NORA courses had long been offered by the New England
Fuel Institute at its headquarters in Watertown, Mass., but the Institute discontinued offering those courses as of January. The Institute recently agreed to sell its building in Watertown and is moving this month (August) to Waltham, Mass. The Institute will conduct periodic one-day seminars on top-
ics such as hazardous materials handling and the regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), said Christine Vieira-Trant, the Institute's executive vice president and controller. As a result of the changes at NEFI, at least one state association
had to adjust. "When NEFI stopped offering classes, we asked the New
England Institute of Technology to take over the training," said Julie Gill of the Oilheat Institute of Rhode Island. For advanced
levels of licensing in Rhode Island, the technician must pass an examination administered by the state Department of Labor & Training, Gill said. With the economy continuing in relatively slow gear, and
fuel oil taking competitive hits from other energy providers, demand for training of fuel oil technicians has slackened, Gill and others said. "We have a course running now," Gill said, "but it's the first
time we've run a course in two years. There are only 10 students in the class, which holds a maximum of 20 students." The oil heat associations in Connecticut, Maine and
Pennsylvania also offer NORA courses. The Maine Energy Marketers Association (MEMA) training
facility, at its headquarters in Brunswick, is licensed with the state as a technical center, said Aimee Senatore, director of marketing and member services. The group offers a 200-hour program approved by the Maine Fuel Board, part of the state's Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation. The course consists of 100 hours of class time and 100 hours
in a laboratory, featuring hands-on instruction. It can be taken on a day-time schedule or an evening schedule. "It's six weeks if you take it during the day and it's almost three months if you take it at night," Senatore said
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