The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) is now a certified licensed education provider after attaining the status from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
TWC is the state’s agency responsible for overseeing and providing workforce development services to Texas-based employers and job-seekers.
“This is the second major recognition we received in six months,” NRVTA President Terry Cooper said. “In December, the Texas RV Association (TRVA) formally endorsed the training services provided at the academy. Now, with the TWC certification, it confirms we are on the right track to accomplish great things for the RV industry.”
Certification will allow NRVTA to receive state funding through the Texas Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, helping to prepare careers in RV technician and inspector roles.
“Attaining certification was an arduous process that required a complete evaluation and enhancement of our training programs,” Cooper said. “But with this certification, NRVTA becomes the only Texas-sanctioned educational facility providing training for RV owners, technicians and inspectors throughout the U.S.
“It signals that our programs are on par with education received at other licensed Texas training centers,” Cooper said. “TWC certification elevates our level of excellence and expertise, and grants us a great deal of credibility for what we are striving to achieve.”
During the certification process, some changes were made to the curriculum, as well as processes, policies and procedures at NRVTA. The academy created the “RV Fundamentals” course, an entry-level training class providing insight into systems onboard an RV and how to diagnose problems with a variety of equipment. The course is a prerequisite for all NRVTA training. Consumers can take the class alongside prospective RV technicians and inspectors.
Other changes inspired by the TWC include establishing “college-like” numbering for all classes, such as 200-level for initial training and 300-level for advanced classes. The academy also created an official catalog, identifying courses corresponding to Texas Classification of Instructional Programs, as well as the Occupational Information Network standard occupational classification for RV service technicians.
In preparing for TWC certification, two other organizations were created to provide credentialling for NRVTA graduates. The National RV Inspectors Association (NRVIA) certifies professionals who complete training, pass a written exam and conduct two graded inspections of a motorhome and towable RV. The RV Technician Association of America (RVTAA) offers three credentials:
- RVTAA Registered RV Technician for those who complete the RV Fundamentals Course and pass a written exam
- RVTAA Certified RV Technician for those who complete five weeks of courses and pass written and hands-on exams
- RVTAA Master Certified RV Technician for people who have three years of on-the-job experience as well as pass a formal written and practical exam
NRVTA opened its doors in 2017 and has grown to 10 instructors and 14 support staff, expected to train more than 1,000 students in 2021. The academy provided training to staff from more than 90 RV-related companies throughout North America.
“Recognition by the Texas Workforce Commission is a milestone achievement for an idea we conceived over lunch six years ago,” NRVTA co-founder Steve Anderson said. “The certification confirms that our vision to train RV technicians and inspectors was important to address a long-standing need in the RV industry.”
A celebratory event will take place in May at NRVTA with details to be released soon.
“We are evaluating options to add classes and staff to accommodate the influx of people wanting jobs or to start businesses in the RV industry,” NRVTA Administrator Evada Cooper, said. “I am proud of our ability to fully train and certify RV inspectors or technicians and give them the knowledge they need to get jobs or start businesses.
“Compared to many four-year degrees, where students have to go into debt by hundreds of thousands of dollars only to get jobs paying less than $50,000 annually, the type of technical training we provide at NRVTA offers an exceptional return on our students’ investments of money and time,” Cooper said.
