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Workers put final touches on the front sign of the new RV Technical Institute in Elkhart.
Justin Hicks/IPB NewsThe RV industry is celebrating a grand opening of its newest facility in Elkhart Monday. The RV Technical Institute will help reduce a shortage of workers who repair recreational vehicles.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Jimtown) and representatives from the RV industry association will celebrate the grand opening of the technical institute. It represents a $10 million commitment from the RV Industry Association to reduce a significant shortage of repair technicians.
Curt Hemmeler is the director of the new center. He says due to the shortage, many RV owners who needed repairs were facing long wait times.
“Currently it’s a 21-day average [wait] that it takes to get a unit fixed and we know that isn’t where we want it to be,” he says. “Our goal is to reduce that.”
He adds that the first cohort of students will arrive in the next 30 days. In addition, the new technical institute will share its curriculum with local companies and high schools and even has plans to train instructors of Texas prison inmates.
Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.
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