Desperate career change, need some help!

Hello everyone thanks for reading. I posted this in the alberta oil job thread but I thought I may get a little more exposure with my own thread; that and I won't be hijacking another one.

I currently work a ###### dead end customer service job, been wanting to be a trucker since way back when I was in highschool. I actually took some initiative and got my class 1 (CDL) learners, took the introductory and airbrake course but did not have the money to continue.

I'm deciding to finally make a career change to something I've been wanting to do forever and I may have the opportunity to have my course paid for by the government (It's expensive! $10,000 No way someone living above the poverty line can afford that on their own). Unfortunately, despite how bad my job is, how low it pays they told me because I work over 20 hours a week that I will have to go down a different route with a lot more loop holes to jump through. They told me one of the things that will help me is if prior to getting accepted, what will actually help is if I have a company that will send me an e-mail or a letter saying that there is room in their company and should I obtain my class 1 (CDL) I will have a position in their company.

I've been reading the posts here and see that a lot of people are actually hiring in this thread and that a lot of jobs up north don't even require experience, just that you took the appropriate training. I am trying to make a huge leap and get my life on track and get started in something I've always wanted to do. I would even consider volunteering my time for free for a couple of weeks to get some on the job experience. I just really need to get the ball rolling.

I know this is a long shot and I am aware that a lot of these companies hire the old fashioned way where you have to show up with a resume and the clothes on your back in their office to get a job, however, this is a little bit of a different situation. I'm all for doing it the old fashioned way and will be more than willing to do just that once I obtain my CDL, Class 1. If someone knows a company that is hiring truckers with no experience and would be willing to write an e-mail/fax/letter whichever is best for them stating that I will be considered for a position should I receive my class 1 license, even if the company changes their mind and runs into financial problems where they can't hire me afterwards, as long as I can get my license and my foot in the door that would be the best thing I could ask for.

This letter/email will be extremely helpful.

I respect all you guys who do this for a living and would love to make this my career. I just need the help to get started. I am clean cut, hard working and I won't be hopping from job to job based on a slight pay increase. You will be investing in a long-term employee.

If anyone could point me into the right direction (aside from out the door) I would be very greatful.

I live in Chilliwack BC

Thank you.

 

I appreciate your responses guys. I am not living at home, I pay rent and bills. 12 years ago you could buy gas for pennies, times are different and life is getting more expensive coupled with the fact I am also taking care of another person who has a disability, making $1,500/month just isn't going to cut it. I live in a small-medium sized town, finding the experience or someone who will take you on isn't as easy as it use to be, at least here in BC. From what I am reading on this forum it seems in Alberta they're in need of truckers and people are just getting hired by showing up on the front door. Good luck doing that in BC. http://www.valleydrivingschool.com/truck-training/class-1-career-training-program this is the course my case manager said 'employers don't want anything less than this'. Hell, if I could go with the cheaper $2,300 course just to barely get my license with no mountain experience and still have a shot of being hired in northern AB I'd do it but it was all doom and gloom at the office yesterday. Like I said, I am not looking for any handouts, I would even be willing to volunteer for a couple of weeks just to get in-seat experience. If I'm not able to get this done I would even be willing to take a few hours out of my week just to sit in the passenger seat and observe and ask questions if anyone is in the BC area. At this point I just want to get my foot in the door and I'm willing to do all I can to get myself there.

 

Thanks for the info, Nate. I appreciate your response. I will look into Can-Am as that's pretty close. I do actually want to look for work in Alberta, but I believe without a CDL/Class 1 I won't even get a humourous response back but at least I can say that I tried. If worse comes to worse and I can't get the training taken care of for me I may have to split the training over the course of a year or two by paying for 1 on 1 lessons at $120/pop minimum 2 hours at some schools. I can't believe how expensive it is.