The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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T R A I N I N G "For the last three or four years we've offered what we call our enhanced hands- on propane [program] which means we actually get technicians in the lab and we give them an introduction to the things that they need to know along with what's in the book," Senatore said. "But it's not half as intensive as our oil program." There is no requirement for apprentic- ing, she said. "We're hoping in 2013 to put a program together that is going to involve much more lab time so when a student walks out of here they not only have the classroom knowledge, but they know what they're doing with the equipment." Those trainees, she said, "can be much more valuable to their companies." Gene Guilford, who once headed the Maine association, is president and chief executive officer of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association (ICPA), and it too is known for its exten- sive training offerings at its technical education center in Cromwell, Conn. In July, the center presented its first online webinar. Guilford said by e-mail, "If all goes well, there are more classes we may be able to deliver." Meanwhile training in specific products and systems is offered by manufacturers, manufacturers' representatives and some wholesalers. An example is Ed Os, Granby, Mass., manufacturers' representatives handling HVAC product sales—and training— for companies including Honeywell, Hydrolevel, Rheem and Testo. The company trains wholesalers and contractors, said Rob Paquette, heating division manager—standard practice for manufacturers' reps. But, Paquette said, Ed Os is somewhat of an exception in that it also goes to fuel oil dealers' locations to train technicians. "We spend a lot of time with the end users to train them on proper installation and use of new products," Paquette said For some fuel oil dealers that are diver- sifying into propane, Paquette said, Ed Os uses a "suitcase trainer" fitted with a small, functioning gas burner. "We hook a little propane tank to it and show the techs how www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | AUGUST 2012 25 to do things like flame rectification," he said. Ed Os recently converted a portion of its warehouse building in Granby into a training center, and expects to begin hold- ing training sessions there beginning in the fall. Those sessions will be in addition to the continuing visits to customers' sites, Paquette emphasized. The company also has a trailer it uses for demos and some training at trade shows. Students of the Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School in Groton, Conn., helped assemble the trailer and install equipment, Paquette said. l FON Our new version has been released, contain- ing many new features which have been added without changing the Easy-To-Use format. Complete Degree Day Forecasting System | Accounts Receivable with Daily Aging | Burner Service Billing, History, Inventory | Customer Control & Credit Analysis | Budgets, Collection Letters | Extensive Sales Tax Reporting | Vehicle Maintenance | Tank & Truck Liquid Inventory Control | Lowest Credit Card Selection Module | Increase Gallons/Stop, Minimize Runouts | And Many More Features.... Market Line Computers | 317 Harrington Ave. | Closter, NJ 07624 •Call Today For Complete Product Literature! 800-210-1498