Franchise Training Program: What to Check in 2026

A franchise training program is the instruction a franchisor gives a new owner before and after opening: classroom sessions, hands-on time inside a working location, an operations manual to keep, and ongoing coaching. Item 11 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) discloses it, including the subjects, the hours, where it happens, and who teaches it.

That last part is the useful bit for a buyer. Franchisors tend to describe their training in glowing terms, and Item 11 is where you can check the specifics. Below, I walk through what a strong program includes, how long it runs, who pays for it, and what to look for before you sign, using the 2026 College Hunks Hauling Junk® FDD as the worked example. College HUNKS is a two-in-one home services franchise (junk removal and moving under one brand, in one territory), so its training has to cover two service lines, which makes its Item 11 table a good one to learn from.

What is a franchise training program?

A franchise training program is the franchisor’s system for turning a new owner into someone who can run the business to brand standards. It usually has an initial block before opening, an operations manual you keep for reference, and ongoing training and coaching once the doors are open.

It is also a disclosure item, which is why you can compare one brand’s program against another’s. Under the FTC Franchise Rule, Item 11 has to describe the franchisor’s training program, including the subjects covered, the hours of classroom and on-the-job instruction, and the experience of the instructors (16 CFR 436.5(k)). If you read only one Item for training, read that one, alongside our explainer on what a franchise disclosure document covers.

What does initial franchise training include?

Initial franchise training covers how the work gets done and how the business gets run, from the service itself to the software, hiring, local marketing, safety, and the daily operating routine. At College HUNKS, the Item 11 schedule totals 33 hours of classroom training and 68 to 136 hours of on-site training across 25 subjects, delivered virtually and in person.

Here is how those subjects group together.

Source: 2026 CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. FDD, Item 11 (as amended August 26, 2026). The franchisor can adjust the program to fit a trainee’s experience.

The on-site hours carry most of the weight. The largest share of that time puts a new owner on real junk and moving jobs alongside a crew, so the owner understands the work their team does every day before leading it. The classroom side covers the business side: the numbers, pricing, hiring, client relations, and leadership. A program built this way does not assume you have done the work before.

If you want to see the full Item 11 schedule and ask how it maps to your own background, start the conversation with our franchise development team.

How long does franchise training usually last?

Initial franchise training usually runs anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how complex the concept is and how much of it happens on the job. College HUNKS initial training runs approximately 5 to 15 days, at headquarters in Tampa, Florida or virtually, with additional on-site training at one of the brand’s Certified Training Locations.

The timing rules matter as much as the length. The College HUNKS program takes place before opening and within 120 days of signing the franchise agreement, and the franchisor may add up to 5 more days of on-site training during the first 3 months of operation. Training sits inside the larger opening timeline, which our post on how long it takes to open a franchise lays out step by step.

Who pays for franchise training?

Most franchisors include initial training for a set number of people in the initial franchise fee, while the owner covers travel, lodging, meals, and wages for whoever attends. That is the College HUNKS structure: training for up to two people (you plus one more) is included in the initial franchise fee, and any additional attendee pays a per-person fee disclosed in Item 6.

Item 7 also carries a separate line for your own training expenses, because getting yourself and a manager to a training location costs money even when the instruction is included. You can see that line in the full investment breakdown. Refresher training after opening carries its own per-person fee, also set out in Item 6.

How do you evaluate a franchise training program before you buy?

Evaluate a franchise training program by reading the Item 11 table line by line, then testing it against what current owners tell you. Total hours alone say little. What tells you more is how the time splits between classroom and field, and who is teaching it.

The “what if I do not finish” question is the one buyers skip most often. Every brand handles it differently, and a good Item 11 spells out the outcome in writing, which is the kind of clause you want to find before signing, not after. Our list of questions to ask a franchisor includes the follow-ups worth raising, and franchise discovery day is where you can meet the people who would train you.

What happens after initial franchise training ends?

After opening, training shifts from a classroom to coaching. Each College HUNKS owner works with two coaches, a Marketing Coach and a Franchise Business Coach, with field visits, refresher training, and access to mentors inside the system on top of that.

The FDD adds specifics. CHHJ anticipates running training 6 to 8 times a year, owners keep access to the Operations Manual, and owners attend the annual convention whenever the brand holds one. Meanwhile the national Sales & Loyalty Center takes orders, schedules appointments, and routes jobs to owners by zip code, so the owner’s time goes to leading the team. Our page on the training and support owners get shows how the coaching side fits together.

Do you need industry experience to complete franchise training?

No. A well-built franchise training program assumes you are new to the industry, and the College HUNKS program is designed that way, with field time on real jobs before you ever open.

What the brand looks for instead is leadership: coachable people who want to build a team. That is why the curriculum spends real time on recruiting, communication, and leadership next to the crew-level skills, and why moving-side owners get dedicated estimating and claims instruction for College Hunks Moving®. Training teaches the system. Running it every day is the owner’s job, and our breakdown of franchise owner responsibilities covers what that looks like after launch.

Want to see the training schedule for yourself?

Item 11 is where a franchisor’s training promises become specific enough to check, and I would rather you read ours closely than take a brochure’s word for it. If you’re weighing whether a College Hunks Hauling Junk® franchise fits your goals, talk to the franchise development team and see if your market is still open. We read every inquiry and there’s no pressure, just answers.

Disclosures

This information is not an offer to sell or solicitation to buy a franchise. A franchise offering can only be made through the delivery of a Franchise Disclosure Document. Certain states regulate the offer and sale of franchises; if you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state.

College Hunks Hauling Junk®, College Hunks Moving®, and the H.U.N.K.S logo are registered trademarks of CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. © 2026 CHHJ Franchising, L.L.C. All rights reserved.