The RV Shop hosts all-women’s RV certification training

The RV Shop is bringing RV Technical Institute Level 1 certification training on site in New Castle, Delaware, for seven women on its team. The weeklong program, run with the RV Women’s Alliance, is meant to build technical fluency across customer-facing and shop roles and improve service from the first call through delivery.

Why it matters: - The training gives The RV Shop’s front-office and service teams a shared technical baseline. - The company expects that to improve customer communication, reduce missteps and support more consistent service across the repair process. - The all-women’s class also reflects a broader industry push to expand technical opportunities for women in RV service.

What happened: - The RV Shop will host RV Technical Institute Level 1 certification training at its New Castle, Delaware, location on Oct. 5 for a week-long course. - The class is being offered with the RV Women’s Alliance. - Seven team members will participate: two service writers, three customer service specialists, one technician and the marketing and brand manager. - The in-house training brings employees from both the shop floor and the front office into the same certification program.

The details: - RVTI Level 1 is designed for people just starting in RV service, and no prior technical experience is required. - The curriculum covers propane, electrical, plumbing, appliances, body, generator and chassis systems. - Students learn how to prepare an RV for customer delivery by checking the operation of all components across those seven systems. - The program includes seven courses and 32 labs and activities. - RVTI offers the training as either a one-week in-person course or a 32-hour self-paced online program. - Certification requires passing a two-part exam, one written and one skills-based. - Mike Marino, CEO of The RV Shop, said the company launched the all-women’s program to strengthen customer experience, communication and service quality. - Devon, a technician at The RV Shop, said the training will help build technical knowledge and support career growth. - Megan, the company’s marketing and brand manager, said learning the systems firsthand will help her represent the business more accurately and improve her work as a marketer.

Between the lines: - The RV Industry Association created RVTI in 2018 to address a shortage of trained RV technicians. - RVTI reported that women made up about 2% of RV technicians in 2023, even though more than 30% of people interested in its courses were women. - RVWA has partnered with RVTI on all-women’s technical training since 2022 and expanded the program nationwide in 2023. - RVWA says its mission is to elevate, educate and promote women in the RV industry. - The alliance now has more than 3,300 members across more than 570 companies. - Jessica, an RVWA instructor, said the class is meant to close technical knowledge gaps in roles such as parts, warranty and customer service.

What’s next: - The seven participants will complete the week-long class and work toward the RVTI Level 1 certification exam. - The RV Shop plans to apply the training across customer intake, estimating, repair work, completion reviews and marketing. - The company says the goal is to help customers better and keep them RVing longer.

The bottom line: - The RV Shop is using an all-women’s certification class to build technical confidence across its team and strengthen customer service from start to finish.