PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT
JOB PLACEMENT
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YOUR PATHWAY INTO TRUCKING
Unlike traditional college courses, vocational training programs, like commercial truck driving, help students prepare for in-demand careers with growing wages and upward job mobility. Our goal is to help you make the most of every opportunity.
THE REALITY OF LOCAL TRUCKING JOBS AFTER SCHOOL
It's important for aspiring truckers to understand that local job opportunities for newly graduated commercial drivers are limited, and often times not possible to obtain. The main reason for this is the lack of commercial driving experience.
So how does a new truck driving school graduate get their driving experience? Large, well-established national trucking companies are leading the way in hiring and training new commercial drivers. These roles are commonly known as entry-level truck driving jobs. Companies such as Swift Transportation, May Trucking Company, Schneider National, among others, provide opportunities for newly licensed drivers to embark on a truck driving career. What's the catch? One must undertake the responsibilities of a cross-country truck driver, also known as an over-the-road (OTR) driver. OTR drivers start from their company's local hub and may travel across various states before returning to the driver's homebase, often being away from home for 3 to 4 weeks at a time. The driver spends one to three days home and the process repeats.
Therefore, entering the trucking industry often involves recognizing the likelihood of starting as an OTR (Over-the-Road) driver to gain six to twelve months of driving experience before transitioning to a local truck driving position. But there is the silver lining, OTR driving is not forever.
MAKING A CAREER PLAN
This may sound more complicated than it really is. A career plan simply means you become aware of the realistic opportunities that are available to you upon graduation.
Because our goal is to ensure you are given every opportunity to succeed in your field of study, potential students meet with our admission representatives that provide real-time job market information, realistic employment opportunities, and help you create a plan that gets you into a local driving position. Yes, this means you have to be open to cross-country driving positions upon graduation.
Sometimes local job placement does happen straight out of trucking school, but we want you to be prepared with the reality that most truck drivers earn their experience driving cross-country and then became local truck drivers.
QUALITY CUSTOM DISTRIBUTION
If you've ever enjoyed a cup of Starbucks coffee, it's likely that a QCD driver delivered the supplies to the store. QCD drivers, with a local hub-station in the La Puente, California, enjoy a range of benefits as union drivers on top of their roles as local Southern California truck drivers.
How can you qualify for a local job with QCD? Maintaining a clean driving record is essential in this industry, and possessing the appropriate commercial driving experience is critical when seeking employment with a company such as QCD. They typically require at least one year of commercial Class A driving experience to be considered for the role.
Awareness of opportunities such as this can aid in forging a path to a successful local driving career. It also provides context for evaluating cross-country driving roles.
SWIFT TRANSPORTATION
Swift Transportation is the nation's largest transportation company and continues to be a leading provider of entry-level truck driving jobs for thousands of CDL graduates throughout Southern California and the nation!
Swift Transportation offers over-the-road (cross-country) entry-level driving positions for those looking to gain the skills and experience needed to become a local truck-driver. Swift Transportation provides tuition reimbursement benefits, assisting CDL graduates with student loan repayment or reimbursement for out-of-pocket school expenses.