Local, OTR, and other options.

This is for newbies, wannabe's and everyone else who's interested from a driver who's been around the trade for most of his life.

When you're starting out, the name of the game is gaining experience in handling that big piece of machinery. That experience is to benefit you; to make you a more skillful, competent and self confident driver. There's a helluva lot to learn after you get out of "school". Things like learning to judge length, width and height of your vehicle, where it will go and where it won't (you'll be asked to put in in the most ridiculous places, often with inches to spare). You'll need to learn about weight and what it can do to your truck under a hundred different circumstances. All this stuff and more is critical.

Now where do you get this experience? Many here would have you believe OTR is the only route. It isn't. Trucking is one of the most diversified trades there is. Look around you, trucks are everywhere doing everything.
OTR is simply the "easiest" these days but that does not make it the best. Many will tell you it's about the "pay"; that OTR "pays better" than a local or regional job. Maybe so, maybe not. Look at your living expenses.

It's not hard to drop $100 to $150 per week on everyday stuff. Truckstop stuff is expensive, simple stuff like a breakfast can cost $10. Yup, you can buy a cooler ($100), a fridge ($4-500), a microwave ($100+), an inverter ($2-300) if your company will allow the installation.

A local or short haul will have you within "brownbag" reach of home most days.

The thing is, you can get valuable experience anywhere. Don't ignore any of it. I'd hate to see you wash out just because OTR is not your thing. You can "keep on truckin'" in a 10 wheel dump just as easy as an 18 wheeler. Shoot, you might just find a "home" right there.