SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. - Western Nebraska Community College's revamped Commercial Drivers License (CDL) program is successfully producing licensed drivers to help fill the abundant need in the state since the Fall 2020 semester.
Currently, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers are the top ranked occupation by demand in the state of Nebraska according to the Department of Labor, Education, & Economic Development. In October 2021, WNCC reached the mark of 19 graduates since last Fall.
The program has helped students like Nathan Ulander of Bayard find a stable job to provide for his family. Ulander and his family moved to the area in 2020 with the dream to rebuild a bed & breakfast, but he realized he needed a job to provide health insurance for himself and his family. After hearing about the shortage of commercial drivers in the nation, he decided to enroll in the CDL program.
"The instructors were incredible," Ulander said. "They were able to answer any and all of my questions and when teaching they helped everything make sense. After finishing the class, getting a job with the state with insurance was made possible."
After obtaining his Class A CDL, Ulander accepted a job and is currently employed with the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
The five-week training program provides students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pass the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicle written and skills exams in order to receive a Class A CDL. The program consists of a mix of classroom time and behind-the wheel driving in one of WNCC's fleet vehicles.
The first week of class is spent in the classroom, and the remaining are dedicated to behind-the-wheel skills development. Students first develop skills on a course set up on the dirt track on the Scottsbluff Campus before moving to public-road driving in the following weeks.
WNCC is offering one more section in the Fall 2021 semester, starting on November 8. Classes will start back up in early January and will continue every six weeks through 2022
For more information about WNCC's Class A CDL program, including the cost of the program, class dates, and career opportunities, visit go.wncc.edu/CDL or contact Doug Mader, WNCC workforce development director at maderd@wncc.edu or 308.630.6556.