Last week, the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) attended a Forest River Owner’s Group rally at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds as part of the organization’s Year of Recruitment initiative. Through the initiative, RVTI aims to recruit and train 1,000 new technicians from outside the RV industry by the end of the year.
The rally hosted about 800 attendees from the owner’s group, along with suppliers, Forest River employees, school counselors and local support groups.
RVTI’s attendance is an excellent way to reach and inform interested segments of the industry, RVTI said.
“Our outreach efforts at the rally came back to us tenfold,” said Tracy Anglemeyer, RVTI director of recruitment. “The Forest River Owner’s Group understood the need for more technicians in the industry, and they were willing to help us. All the different segments of the industry who were at the rally, such as the owners, suppliers, and Forest River support groups, came forward wanting to help. Everyone knew someone else who could somehow benefit from our program.”
The weeklong event also featured seminars hosted by Bill Stewart, RVTI director of education. RVTI Executive Director Curt Hemmeler spoke at a rally dinner, providing a quick snapshot of RVTI’s recent work, including the graduation of an all-female RV technician class and ongoing technician recruitment initiatives.
