Career Change

:smt039 :smt039 read read read! there is lots of info here. you just gotta check it out

 

first, welcome to the forum!:smt039

There are some community colleges that offer CDL classes, check them out first....they are quite often cheaper than a CDL mill, and you can usually find a class schedule that will at least let you continue to work part~time and attend class.

PLEASE do not go to a company sponsored CDL program, you are then endebted to work for them, and in most cases its for a year. A year of your life being at their mercy (which from what I know mercy is not in their vocab).

Once you have checked out local colleges etc, post back here, and ask, ask ask, until you have a good picture of your next move. Getting into trucking is not a bad idea so long as you KNOW what your getting into and protect yourself from the common "heres a newbie, lets get'em" attitudes. There are lots of guys/gals here who have the experience and inside info on trucking to help you avoid HUGE common newbie mistakes, its to your advantage to "pick their brains"....lol,

 

You say you checked out schools in GA. Did you look at the Technical College. I am going through Valdosta Tech's course now, total it will cost me is about $260 and that includes Hazmat, Hope grant paying for it.

 

A couple of years ago I went to Central Tech in Drumright Oklahoma and the tutition was paid for by the State of Oklahoma 'if you worked for an Oklahoma based company'. I applied to Arrow Trucking out of Tulsa, was hired contingent upon passing the course, went to work for them upon graduation and owed no body nuthin. You might check into something like that. BOL

 

If you are a GA resident, the Hope Grant will pay for your tuition. I start Wednesday at Sandersville Tech (couple hours from Atlanta) and it is going to cost me a total of about $200 for physical, drug screen, books, and fuel surcharge. Check that out. There are surely some good schools around Atlanta that you can go to and have your tuition paid by the idiot tax (lottery proceedings).

Hope this helps!

 

WELCOME!

 

xamaica - Check with your local state employment office about WIA funding. If you qualify, it will pay for cdl school or tech school.

Im not totally sure what the qualifications are, (such as being laid off, company closing, etc) but its definitely worth a phone call.

Here you can find the list of WIA's approved GA CDL schools...http://www.dds.ga.gov/Commercial/CDLSchoolList.aspx