NRVTA hires full-time equipment manager

ATHENS, Texas – The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) today announced it has hired an equipment manager to assist in preparing classrooms for teacher-led instruction as well as hands-on labs.

Drue McMillian attended classes at the Big Red School House last year and became an NRVTA Certified RV Technician. When his wife, Laura Stewart, was tapped to become a student advisor at the school, it opened the door for McMillian to help people taking training classes as well. 

He is responsible for setting up classrooms and making sure instructors have the tools and equipment they will need for that day’s class. He also sets up individual work stations for hands-on labs by ensuring equipment is in place for students and teaching assistants to use. 

With class sizes exceeding 65 students some weeks, McMillian said it’s a daunting task to stay ahead of the frequently-changing equipment requirements. 

For example, to set up a hands-on lab for air conditioners, he will need to bring out several dozen units from storage and ready them on work benches. At the end of the day, the air conditioners go back into storage and dozens of refrigerators are set up in their place.

Working with a variety of equipment comes easy to the Louisiana native thanks to his many years of construction experience. The fact that McMillian already completed NRVTA training is a plus because he knows what instructors want as well as how students need equipment to be set up to properly diagnose and repair the components. 

“I really like the atmosphere at this school,” McMillian explained. “There is a lot of activity every day and that creates a great deal of energy all by itself.

“I also enjoy interacting with dozens of students from around the country,” he added. “They all have different stories about what prompted them to seek training at NRVTA and what their goals are once they graduate. It’s fun to be able to play a small role in their future success.”

In order to continue meeting the needs of students learning to become certified RV technicians and inspectors, as well as training RV owners to care for their own vehicles, NRVTA has a constant need for state-of-the-art equipment, said Terry “Cooper” Cooper, NRVTA president.

“In order to prepare students to work on RVs manufactured today, we need to show them how to diagnose and repair components being installed on motorhomes and travel trailers,” he explained. “That’s why we gladly accept donated RVs and equipment for students to use. 

“If the RV Industry Association is correct with their 2021 forecast, manufacturers will be making nearly 700,000 new RVs this year. The demand for certified RV technicians and inspectors will be great,” said Cooper. “It is essential that people learning how to inspect and repair RVs in the years ahead learn how to do so on modern equipment.”

Because Big Red Schoolhouse is designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, any donations of equipment, tools, RVs and components is tax deductible, said Cooper. 

People or companies interested in donating items to the Big Red Schoolhouse can email Cooper at [email protected].

People interested in attending classes to become NRVTA Certified RV Technicians or Inspectors, can find more information at www.nrvta.com or by calling (903) 386-0444 and emailing [email protected].