FAQs

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• Is the new curriculum and certification career path supported by the industry?

  The RV Industry Association and the RV Dealers Association contributed a combined $10 million dollars to create the curriculum, credentialing a career path for RV service technicians, along with an institute to deliver the new and improved curriculum. It is the only industry-wide supported path to certification.

• Where is the RV Technical Institute located?

  The new 18,000 square foot facility, located at 3333 Middlebury Street in Elkhart, Indiana, and sits on 3.34 acres. There are currently seven classrooms in the facility, 10,000 square feet of shop/bay space with 17-foot ceilings to accommodate two to three RVs--enough space for learning, depending on RV type, and component training.

• What does the new technician career path look like and how do technicians achieve each level?

  The new technician career path is divided into four levels of proficiency. A technician will be awarded a Level 1, 2, 3 or Level 4 Master Technician credential based on successfully demonstrating the required knowledge and skills at each level. Each level builds on the foundation of the previous level and allows the technician to become a generalist or a specialist. The program will cover theory, application and troubleshooting.

  Learn more about the RVTI technician training career pathway.

• How long does each RV Technical Institute certification last and what do I need to do to re-certify?

  • Level 1: Good for life with no re-certification or continuing education requirements. A yearly information and employment verification check-in are needed to stay active.
  • Level 2: Good for five years. Over this period, the technician must acquire 24 hours of continuing education credits (CEUs) of approved hands-on or online training. No training older than five years will be counted and a yearly information and employment verification check-in are needed to stay active.
  • Level 3: Good for five years. Over this period, the technician must acquire 24 hours of continuing education credits (CEUs) of approved hands-on or online training. Eight of the 24 hours of CEUs must be directly related to the specialty held. No training older than five years will be counted and no trainings can repeat. A yearly information and employment verification check-in are needed to stay active.
  • Level 4: Good for five years. Over this period, the technician must acquire 24 hours of continuing education credits (CEUs) of approved hands-on or online training. These training can include participation in RV Technical Institute or other industry-approved activities such as curriculum development, train-the-trainer programs and leadership training No training older than five years will be counted and a yearly information and employment verification check-in are needed to stay active.

• If a technician's RVDA/RVIA certification has expired, are they grandfathered into the new RV Technical Institute program?

  Valid certifications as of December 31, 2019 were transferred into the new program.

  Any technician due for re-certification between set to expire in 2020 will be extended to December 31, 2020.

  Technicians can visit the website, log-in, record their trainings and attach their certificates. The RV Dealers Association and RV Technical Institute's staff are working together to transfer past certified technician data and creating new records and credentials in the new website portal. Technicians will receive emails (to their email on file) once their account has been created and their credential has been transferred. If there is no email or no unique email on file, a letter will be sent to the technician.

• How do I transfer my RVDA/RVIA certification to the new RV Technical Institute certification?

  Certifications under the previous RVDA/RV Industry Association Technician Certification Program were automatically transitioned to the RV Technical Institute. RVDA/RVIA certifications transitioned to the following designations under the new RV Technical Institute’s program:

  • Registered technicians were re-designated as a Level 1 Certified Technician. Level 1 Certification is good for life.
  • Certified Technicians were re-designated as a Level 2 Certified Technician
  • Certified Technicians with proof of required supplier trainings completed within the past five years will be granted the corresponding RV Technical Institute Level 3 specialty and re-designated as a Level 3 Certified Technician and/or a Level 4 Master Certified Technician, as appropriate.
  • Master Certified technicians were re-designated as a Level 4 Master Certified Technician

  Current registered, certified or master certified technicians can expect to receive their new RV Technical Institute credentials, at no charge, during the 2020 transitional year. All expiration dates remain the same for current certifications.

• Is the TnT supplier component training going away?

  While it will no longer be branded as TnT, supplier component training will continue to be a major focus for the institute; the institute will be keeping the pieces that are currently working in the TnT program and fixing the things that don’t.

  The reimagined program incorporates the feedback RV Technical Institute has received from suppliers, technicians and dealers about the areas that are working the best and the pieces of TnT that have not been performing as well. Supplier stakeholders are excited about revamping technician training because the current system can be adjusted and corrected.

• Where can I get trained and find a schedule of classes?

  All RV Technical Institute classes are held online, at our headquarters facility in Elkhart, Indiana, or provided through one of of our Authorized Learning Partners. Interested in our individual annual subscription for easy online access? Enroll here.

• How much does it cost?

  For 2022 RVTI has moved to the annual subscription model. An annual subscription includes Level 1 and Level 2 training and one attempt at each exam.

  Retests cost an additional $75.00 per exam that needs to be retaken.

  Location Subscriptions give a corporate location (if there are multiple location a location subscription is required for each location) the ability to enroll an unlimited number of employees/technicians into Level 1 & 2 training and testing. 

  All training, testing and re-testing must be completed by the end of the annual subscription or must be renewed for another year to complete. 

  Individual Annual Subscription = $600.00

  Location Annual Subscription = $1500.00

• How long is each class?

  Level 1 is a 40 hour one week course that includes a two-hour written and two-hour performance exam on the last day of class.

  Level 2 is a 130 hour four week course that includes a 3-hour written an three-hour performance exam on the last day of class.

• How do I become an Authorized Learning Partner?

  The RV Technical Institute’s Authorized Learning Partner program is a network of regional training partners approved to deliver RV Technical Institute’s standardized training on a local or regional basis. Learning Partners have access to the Institute’s full curriculum, training materials, and soon to be launched learning management system (LMS) and testing, as well as training from the Institute’s staff on how to track student progress and deliver the curriculum. To become an RV Technical Institute Authorized Licensed Partner, you must:

  • Use the LMS to track and register students, receive curriculum updates and deliver the curriculum to students
  • Ensure course instructors are Level 2 Certified RV Technicians who have completed the week-long RV Technical Institute’s Train the Trainer Course
  • Classes will be held in Elkhart on April 13 and June 29.
  • Attend the Annual RV Technical Institute’s Trainer Conference in Elkhart, Ind., ($300 fee/instructor)
  • Ensure proctoring of exams are not done by dealer employees
  • Meet minimum national average student completion and pass rates
  • Submit to program audits

  Learn more about becoming an authorized RVTI Learning Partner.

• How do I register and pay for a single seat in an upcoming class?

  • Go to www.rvti.org
  • Click on “Training” in the menu and select “Upcoming Classes”
  • Scroll down to see available classes and click “view details” beside the appropriate class
  • Leave the drop-down menu at one seat (see Register and Pay for Multiple Seats in a Class)
  • Click on “Enroll Now”
  • View your basket and verify its accuracy
  • Click on “Checkout”
  • Accept the cookies at the bottom of the page (only happens on initial account creation)
  • Create your account by filling out the requested information
  • Click “Enter payment information”
  • Check the box to “Agree to Terms and Conditions”
    Order confirmation will appear on screen and an email will be sent to you
  • Click on the “Complete Registration/Go to Dashboard” box in the bottom right corner to finish your account set-up
  • Fill in the information to complete your account set-up and click “Save and Continue” to return to your account dashboard
  • Course will appear in your “My Courses” section and additional classes available will appear below in the catalog

• How do I register and pay for multiple seats in an upcoming class?

  • Go to www.rvti.org
  • Click on “Training” in the menu and select “Upcoming Classes”
  • Scroll down to see classes available and click “view details” beside the appropriate class
  • Select the number of seats you wish to purchase
  • Click on “Enroll Now”
  • NOTE: You will receive a message with the number of seats
  • View your basket and verify its accuracy
  • Click on “Checkout”
  • Accept the cookies at the bottom of the page (only happens on initial account creation)
  • Create your account by filling out the requested information
  • Click “Enter payment information”
  • Check the box to “Agree to Terms and Conditions”
  • Order confirmation will appear on screen and an email will be sent to you
  • Click on “View Redemption Codes” and a .csv file will download to your computer
  • Distribute the redemption codes to the learners or create their accounts yourself using the “Redeem Codes” instructions
  • NOTE: Only click on the “Redeem” box is you intend to use one of the codes for yourself
  • Click on the “Complete Registration/Go to Dashboard” box in the bottom right corner to finish your account set-up
  • Fill in the information to complete your account set-up and click “Save and Continue” to return to your account dashboard
  • Course will appear in your “My Courses” section if you used a code for yourself and additional classes available will appear below in the catalog

• How do I redeem codes?

  • NOTE: If you are redeeming codes for someone else, make sure to log out of your account first
  • To log out, click on your initials in the upper right corner of your dashboard and select sign-out
  • Go to www.rvti.org
  • Click on “Get Certified” menu and select “Redeem Code”
  • Create your account by filling out the requested information or click on “Sign in to Your Account”
  • Enter the code provided and click “Validate”
  • Check the box to “Agree to Terms and Conditions”
  • Click “Redeem”
  • Fill in the information to complete your account set-up and click “Save and Continue” to return to your account dashboard
  • Course will appear in your “My Courses” section of your dashboard in the "In Progress" tab