Surrey, B.C. – RV season is just around the corner, and no one wants to get stuck out in the wilderness with a fridge or stovetop that doesn’t work.
Thanks to a new partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of B.C. (RVDABC) will be on campus at KPU Tech in Cloverdale Feb. 3 to 5 providing training to two KPU appliance servicing instructors plus close to 30 RV technicians from around the province.
This is the first time the RVDABC has brought its training program to KPU. Joan Jackson, executive director of the association, says KPU Tech’s appliance servicing shop is ideal for much of the instruction, and the outdoor space on campus is large enough to accommodate the two large RVs that are also being brought in for the sessions.
Jackson says the ability for technicians to learn and practise their trade on actual RVs is key.
The training program will cover toilet and fridge maintenance and repair, levelers, slides, hydraulics and other components. The instructors leading the training are from Thetford/Norcold and Lippert Components.
RV service technician is designated as recreation vehicle mechanic under the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal program. Technicians repair, maintain, overhaul and modify live-in RVs that are designed for travel. They also install and repair interior components from appliances and furnaces to ranges, plumbing and electrical systems and propane gas systems.
“It’s like 11 trades in one,” explains Jackson. “So professional development is very important in order to keep up with changes in technology and in the industry itself.”
KPU appliance servicing instructor Dave Fengstad, who will be taking the training along with fellow faculty member Tom Westgate, will be able to share his learning with KPU students as the university’s appliance servicing program covers the electrical, gas and refrigeration systems used in RVs.
“Our partnership with the RVDABC aligns with our mandate to build strong, two-way partnerships with industry to ensure students acquire the most relevant education possible,” said Fengstad.
One in nine Canadian families has a recreation vehicle.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region since 1981, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 19,000 students annually have a choice from over 124 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates citations and apprenticeships. Learn more at www.kpu.ca.
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