“I received an electrical apprenticeship within the electrical union and couldn’t be happier. Getting my CDL was a stepping stone to this program. I have a career now that will last a lifetime, great benefits and pay. In four years, I’ll be around 6 figures. Thank you”

“Was already working for the company but now I am working as a driver. Started July 1st. I get paid per load. Can make between $55,000 and $80,000 depending on routes. This was a great opportunity for me. One I would not have had normally. I am thankful and really appreciate your help! A huge step up for me.”

“Thank you for the help and support. I moved to Grants Pass to be closer to my work at A&M. I am getting a regular paycheck, and my finances are better than ever. I would not have been able to do this without the help of SOWIB to pay for my school and helping with my rent while in training.”

“I want to thank you and your team from the bottom of my heart.  At 35 I realized I was no longer feeling fulfilled in the line of work I was doing as an in-home care resident manager.  I have always wanted to drive and be on the open road but realized how expensive it can be to get my CDL. I got referred to Rachel and the driving prosperity program. I could have never imagined how above and beyond you and your team would go to see me succeed. Without your help this could have never happen. You helped my wife and I stay afloat while also getting into a career that will get us to another level. I was able to obtain a full-time job right out of school with A&M. I am on the road and love what I’m doing.  Thanks again”

“I was in construction for 15+ years and before that a logger. I had also had a CDL for a couple years. Due to age and some injuries I wanted to get my CDL back and drive log truck. Without this program I never would have been able to achieve that goal. Kelsey was extremely helpful and went above and beyond all expectations. This is going to have such a positive impact on the rest of my life and  allow me to keep working for a long time. I am extremely grateful for this program and hope it helps other people as much as it has helped me.”

“I was having a hard time trying to find a career that was a fit for me. I spent on and off ten years working in a mill. I had been wanting to get my CDL for years but didn’t know how to balance work and fees and classes. I had friends telling me that I might be able to get help for funds, so I walked in and took the steps needed. I probably would have kept putting it off due to expenses and probably would still be stuck at another dead-end job. It was time to make this happen and it was possible because of WSRV and the Good Jobs Challenge.

THANK YOU.”

“In the past I have done mostly construction jobs and also some driving. I was formerly incarcerated, and I needed support and help getting funding for school. Just being released from prison, I haven’t been in society for a while and I needed more education and confidence. I hated training at first but some of my instructors were really great and very helpful through this process. I honestly learned that there are people and resources that are willing to help you if you’re willing to work hard. I plan to work for Coca-Cola, and I feel like I now have the knowledge and skills for success.”

“I was not unemployed; I was under-employed. Winter is a slow time for my type of work. I needed financial assistance if I wanted to further my career. I could not afford to pay for the training. I always wanted to be a truck driver and always wanted to travel the states. I enjoyed the training, the instructors were amazing and I made a friend with one. I feel better, more confident driving a truck and I feel safe doing my job. I would have started sooner if I would have known there was help out there. I want to keep driving until I retire.

Currently employed at Schneider Trucking.”

“I was having trouble finding consistent work. I don’t want to change jobs a lot I want to build a career. I worked in restaurants and on farms and I was laid off due to lack of work. I wanted to be in a demanding field of work with a lot of opportunity. I had the best time working with Aisling Truck Academy. All the instructors were amazing there was no way I could have done it without the work source center and the Good Jobs Challenge. I learned how to be more confident in my decision making and just go for it and make things happen. I plan on driving a commercial vehicle to gain experience and then move into hazmat shipping. It has given me the mindset that I can accomplish anything. I plan on being the best commercial driver I can be, safe and well planned out drives.”

I would like to say that our CDL training program has kept us competitive in our market and without these classes we would have an even larger deficit of drivers. At this point, about 50% of our drivers have come through this training program.

We think this is our only hope for future growth and sustainability in the driver shortage era that we find ourselves squarely in the middle of right now. We would like to be able to train these drivers the way they need to learn for our industry. Every type of truck driving is different and dump trucking is no exception to that rule, it is great that they learn from the ground up in the construction driving industry.

We believe it is a great career with huge potential for a family supportive wage and benefits for the truck driver. The 3 main companies you support locally all provide good income, great benefits, and good retirement potential. I am more than willing to speak to whomever it may concern about the investment you have made in our future locally.

All of the above-mentioned companies are happy to train and get drivers in the “pool” if you will, if they stay with our company great if they don’t at least they can contribute to the driver pool availability, hopefully locally.

Thank you for your time and investment in us.

We are closer to having all our trucks full than we have been in 17 to 18 years. We still have a few open but the funding for CDL schools has been an absolute game changer for us. Many of the new drivers have stuck with us long term and now have a few years’ experience under their belt. If I can do anything to contribute to getting this funding to continue, I’d be more than happy to do anything needed.