The non-profit Women in Trucking organization recently named Centerline Drivers one of the Top Companies for Women to Work For In Transportation for the fourth consecutive year. The leadership team at Centerline is proving it belongs on the list by paying it forward. The company recently announced a “Drive It Forward” scholarship.
“At Centerline, we pride ourselves on promoting diversity and inclusion among our drivers, our support staff, and our clients. I’m so proud to share this award with them,” Centerline President Jill Quinn reportedly said. “I’m so honored to have won this award four years in a row and I hope we can continue to expand this field for women.”
Centerline has been instrumental in mentoring the next generation of female transportation professionals. Women hold 50 percent of its management posts and comprise two-thirds of its overall workforce. At a time when the freight transportation industry is hard-pressed to onboard more truckers to offset the 80,000 driver shortage, women are a highly sought-after demographic.
Although women have earned their CDL at a high rate in recent years, more than 85 percent of truckers are men. Efforts such as the Drive it Forward scholarship and support from Centerline continue to pave the way for women embarking on good-paying careers in the trucking sector.
The Drive it Forward program honors the work of Sheila Castaneda by providing $7,500, the full tuition needed to earn a CDL. A pivotal member of the Centerline leadership team, Castaneda has been an inspirational proponent of promoting opportunities for women in trucking.
“Sheila Castaneda was a steadfast proponent of encouraging women in trucking and spent a lot of her time mentoring and coaching women across Centerline. To honor her memory, we set up this scholarship fund,” Quinn reportedly said. “I’m glad we are able to continue her legacy at Centerline and help other women experiencing adversity through this scholarship program.”
Aspiring truck drivers who wish to be considered for the Drive it Forward scholarship must meet the following criteria.
- Female
- Be at least 21 years of age at the date of commencement.
- Have applied for admission to a qualified CDL program and have the required basic criteria to be accepted.
- New to the trucking industry and have not held a CDL license before.
Centerline will reportedly give special consideration to women who demonstrate significant financial need or faced adverse circumstances that negatively impacted their careers.
The deadline to submit an online application is December 31, 2022, at 11:59 EST. A scholarship committee will reportedly review all applications and award the winner based on a majority decision. The Drive it Forward scholarship winner will be notified and must confirm acceptance and agreeance of scholarship eligibility in writing. For more information, visit www.centerlinedrivers.com/driveitforward.
Sources:prnewswire.com, prnewswire.com
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