Central Georgia Technical College gets funding to train truckers

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Central Georgia Technical School truck driving program is about to get greater. 

Coca-Cola Firm partnered with the Technical School System of Georgia to donate $1 million to the foundations Business Truck Driving Program. Central Georgia obtained about $200,000 that will probably be used to rent extra truck driving instructors. 

“Final 12 months, we had over three to 400 purposes and we will solely take 20 to 25 college students in a category,” stated program chair Tim English.

Earlier than turning into a truck driver in 2013, English was within the Air Pressure. He got here to CGTC to get his business drivers license (CDL). After driving for about six years, he made the change to being an teacher. English says including extra instructors would assist tremendously.

“After I graduate my teacher advised me in the future if I bought bored with being over the street, I ought to attempt to come again and be an teacher, so that is what I did,” English stated.

In response to the Georgia Division of Transportation, truckers transfer 430 million tons of products throughout the state every year. Dean of Aerospace, Commerce & Trade Michael Engel says including extra instructors will assist the truck driver scarcity. 

“That is going to fund three new full-time school positions for us. Every of these equate to about 28 college students a 12 months extra that we will take, so we’re taking a look at rising the variety of licensees that we put out a 12 months by 78 college students.”

Different faculties who obtained the grant included Southern Regional, Savannah and Athens Technical School. In complete, 22 technical schools obtained a break up of the $1 million. Coca-Cola and the inspiration hope that including extra Georgia truck drivers will scale back the present scarcity.

“We’re shining a lightweight now particularly on the commerce and trade varieties of jobs issues like business truck driving to attempt to simply to let individuals know what nice profession alternatives these are,” Engel stated.

English says that if you wish to develop into a driver and get your CDL, you should have a clear driving report and “your driving historical past is just about your resume.”