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Last week, RV Technical Institute, Navarro College, and Fun Town RV celebrated a landmark achievement in workforce development with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Corsicana, TX, marking the launch of RVTI’s first community college partnership for the RV technician training program.
The partnership, which kicked off its inaugural cohort one week prior, is the first of its kind, making the Corsicana-based community college the first in the country to be named an RV Technical Institute Authorized Learning Partner. Supported by Fort Worth-based Fun Town RV—who also provided significant financial support and scholarships—and Lippert Components, the initiative is designed to train and certify technicians qualified to join the workforce in RV dealerships and independent mobile technician businesses.
Key stakeholders from the community, college, and media were in attendance for the ceremony, where current students were also presented with a certificate of participation in the inaugural program.
Training the Future Workforce
The new program brings RVTI’s nationally recognized technician curriculum to students, focusing on providing hands-on instruction in inspecting, diagnosing, and repairing core RV systems. This includes propane, electrical, plumbing, appliance, and chassis systems across various RV types.
The collaboration is seen as a crucial step toward meeting the growing demand for skilled labor in Texas, the nation's largest RV market.
“Isn’t it great when two organizations’ missions match? … This is a model to expand across the United States to partner with other community colleges and educational institutions,” said Sharonne Lee, Vice President, Education & Operations for RV Technical Institute, highlighting the program's potential for national replication.
A Milestone for Industry and Education
Local and college leadership emphasized the significance of this industry-education collaboration for the region.
“This really is a milestone event for the institution and is a great example and best practice of industry collaboration for our eco-system in terms of our city Corsicana, economic development, and workforce,” stated Dr. Peters, Executive Director of Workforce, Career and Technical Education at Navarro College.
Dr. Kevin G Fegan, Navarro College’s District President, noted the program's alignment with the college’s mission: “This opportunity filtered through the three lenses that we look at here at Navarro College when considering these types of experiences for students: will it impact in a positive way the communities that we serve (both from a workforce perspective and socioeconomic perspective); to empower individuals to change their lives by preparing for career; and in innovation built on tradition. This opportunity checks all three of those boxes.”
Corsicana Mayor Joe Hill spoke to the vital role the college plays in economic development, adding: "This (workforce programming) is what Navarro College is all about and near and dear to our hearts is economic development. Businesses need knowledgeable and skilled employees and access to a training facility is a must.”
A Rewarding Career Path
Industry partners championed the value of a career in RV technical service, stressing the demand for skilled workers and the rewarding nature of the job.
“Getting more people that are trained and willing to do those kinds of (wrenching) jobs, be a part of that kind of work, they are probably going to be some of the highest paid people in the country, who can turn a wrench that can fix the problems, and go in the field whether it’s an RV or a home or wherever they take these skills with them moving forward," said Jarrod McGhee of Fun Town RV.
McGhee also spoke to the spirit of the industry itself: "If you want to know how the real world is going, go to a campground. It’s all good people there, and when one person has a problem they’re all over there helping the others and that’s the kind of industry I want to work in.”