The RV Technical Institute (RVTI) has recently partnered with Campers Inn, Grand Design RV, and Cruise America to recruit RV technicians. This initiative was announced at the American School Counselor Association’s Atlanta Conference, which took place from July 15-18.
The conference, attended by over 3,500 school counselors annually, offers an opportunity for K-12 school counselors, college professors, graduate students, and school counseling supervisors to network and engage in professional development.
Curt Hemmeler, executive director of the RVTI, highlighted the importance of this event, stating, “This is where all of the school counselors across the country come together and we have one of the largest displays.”
“We’re attending the event to educate school counselors about the industry, its work opportunities, and the service technician position. The idea is that they’ll take this information to their high school students and inform them about the RV industry and the need for technicians,” said Hemmeler.
The Institute booth was one of the most visited, thanks to the Grand Design Imagine 2800 BH provided by Campers Inn. Ben Hirsch, chief operating officer of Campers Inn RV, expressed his company’s pride in partnering with RVTI for the conference, as per the News & Insights report of the RV Industry Association (RVIA).
He emphasized the collaboration’s value in showcasing the RV industry and the exciting career opportunities it offers, particularly for RV technicians.
Don Clark, president and CEO of Grand Design RV, echoed these sentiments, stating, “Customer satisfaction has never been more important and Grand Design RV is proud to assist the RV Technical Institute in its charter to recruit, educate and train existing and new technicians for our industry.”
Cruise America, an RV rental company, also attended the event alongside the Institute. Hemmeler noted that this additional partnership gives the counselors an opportunity to go out and actually enjoy RVing, further promoting the industry.
Hemmeler emphasized that attending events like these is a significant part of the RV Technical Institute’s long-term recruitment plan.
“Attending these events has always been part of our strategic plan. We had to build the school and build the curriculum and now we’re emphasizing recruitment. This is a huge part of the Institute’s strategic plan of driving more interested individuals into the industry and building a pipeline of future RV techs,” he said.
This initiative by the RV Technical Institute and its partners is a significant step towards addressing the need for skilled technicians in the RV industry. By reaching out to school counselors and students, they are creating awareness about the opportunities that exist in the industry and paving the way for a new generation of RV technicians.