May 1—LNA Health Careers moved into its new building near Manchester's City Hall about a year ago, and the impact can be seen on a daily basis with students coming and going at a steady clip.

"We're constantly seeing people coming in and out through here learning what they need to do to take the jobs within our state," Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said Monday morning.

Craig visited the trade school at 70 Market St. to read a proclamation to kick off National Small Business Week. LNA Health Careers was named the New Hampshire Woman-owned Business of the Year by the Small Business Administration. The business reopened in the space on April 1 of last year.

The school provides training programs for licensed nursing assistants, medication nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, phlebotomy technicians and more. The school also offers CPR and basic first aid courses.

Owner Kerri Dutton sought and received a variance from the zoning board in order to be able to expand the school into the 13,000-square-foot space located in a residential and office zone. Dutton said she was going for more of a college campus feel in selecting the location to expand after she bought the business in 2020 after spending more than 25 years in nursing.

LNA Health Careers previously operated out of rented space on Concord Street. A second location is operated in Meredith.

A classroom for phlebotomy includes specialized training arms where students can learn about where veins are located during the six-week training program. Students need to be high school graduates and learn about anatomy and physiology.

"In order to graduate they have to do 30 live sticks on volunteers or sometimes staff here," Dutton said.

Statistics show there will be 12.7% increase in the need for health care workers between 2018 and 2028 in New Hampshire.

"All of the hospitals in Manchester and all the clinics are looking for phlebotomists," she said.

The in-person learning is good for students who are looking to switch careers who don't want to go to college.

In an upstairs classroom, eight students worked with an instructor during a licensed nursing assistant class.

The school used to see about 60 students a month and now has more than 100. About 10 to 12 classes are happening at any given time.

"The increase in students has been astonishing and we already feel like we already need more room," Dutton said.

Each class has eight or fewer students, she said.

"It is about 70% learning in the facilities and 30% here," she said. "We do a combination of online and in-person learning."

Craig said small businesses make up 99% of businesses and employ half of the workforce in New Hampshire.

LNA Health Careers opened in 2002 and Dutton wanted to expand by adding a licensed practical nursing program.

"This building kind of fit what I had in my mind for a campus feel," she said.

Dutton saw a need to help train more workers as she worked in the long-term care industry. She is seeing more men enter the field, but it continues to be dominated by women.

"Especially since COVID, more men have been entering the nursing field, which is great," Dutton said.

She is honored to receive the award.

The next step for Dutton includes getting accredited to help grow the student body and offer more financial assistance.

The students are landing jobs at hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home care and clinics.

Other award 2023 recipients include:

Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Nick Gray, Gray Property Group.

NH District Director award: Andrea O'Brien, NH Small Business Development Center.

Financial Services Champion: Jim Wilson, Bangor Savings Bank.