Hello and a big Thank you!

Hi! My name is Marta and I am a new grad. First of all, I want to say Thank you to everyone who replied to my thread-How to Solve an Oxymoron. I didn't think I would get as many replies as I did and so quickly. This is my story. I've decided to change careers. I've been a RN for 27 years and wanted to do something different. I have been dating a good friend who is a professional driver and had the opportunity to go on the road with him several times and loved it. So I went to this truck driving school that was fairly close to home and had no problem getting my CDL. I'm proud to say I aced the backing tests. The problem is that this school trains and tests with a daycab automatic with a flatbed trailer. My instructor also trained us with a 10 speed and trailer, but it was only on a big parking lot and then on a rural highway and not everyday. BIG disadvantage for students. Shifting on a parking lot and shifting on busy city streets is quite different. I was totally unprepared for the streets. So the company I was doing orientation with told me to take a refresher course which I did, with a different school. That training was very good and I feel much more comfortable in traffic now. The company felt though, that I still wasn't quite ready to go on the road, so they sent me packing. Am very disappointed because, 1. I really like the company and their instructors, benefits, etc. and 2. I really need a job.
I know I can do this job, but I do feel I'm behind in skills because I didn't go to a school at the outset that trained with manuals, on city streets and highways everyday for 4 weeks, My first school told me I was the only student they ever had who could not get a job. I highly doubt that, though we do live in farm country. So I can see that maybe their other students grew up driving manual tractors and trucks. I grew up in the city.
Warning to potential students: DO NOT go to a truck driving school that uses automatics, unless that is all you want to drive. That will limit your marketability and companies you can apply to. Many of these big companies have a very tight training schedule and if you cannot progress quickly, they will tell you goodbye.
Someone on my thread suggested I rent a rig to practice with. That would be good idea, but I still need someone with me. And the cost would probably be prohibitive. I do wish I could practice with someone who had their own truck.

 

Central Missouri.