Thanks for casting your vote and supporting us in Manchester Radio Group’s Best of the 603 contest which celebrates places, restaurants and local businesses in New Hampshire.

Manchester Radio Group’s Best of the 603 had over 2,500 businesses, organizations, and individuals competing to be named in the top three spots of 243 categories.

During our voting, more than 50,000 votes were cast, an amazing response in the first year and a testament to how customers, fans, and friends feel about their favorite local businesses and the pride they have for New Hampshire.

Granite State Trade School recently graduated their first class of Advanced Service Technician Specialists. The Advanced Service Technician patch reassures customers that the technician working on their equipment has specialized training and will provide the highest level of expertise in working on their natural gas and propane appliances.

The course provides hands-on recognition for properly servicing and troubleshooting gas appliances as well as the proper startup and testing required by most manufacturers. Instruction is given on safely servicing, troubleshooting, and repairing natural gas and propane operated appliances and equipment. Customers look at technicians who have achieved their Advanced Service Technician status with confidence.

Watch the video

With businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, one industry is in such high demand it needs to train and hire more workers.

Jim Fusco, owner of the Granite State trade school in Raymond, said requests have poured in for qualified people to handle repairs and upgrades.

“Putting in ultra-violet lights in the warm air and AC systems to kill off bacteria, and they’re also supplying additional filters, HEPA filters and the like, to try to keep this under control,” Fusco said.

His trade school, as a chapter of the National Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association, offers online education – another need during the pandemic.

“You want to be the best you can be, you want to make serious money,” Fusco said. “I’ve got guys who come in here who are making well over six figures and people don’t realize that there are good paying jobs in the trades.”