Nevada Appeal Capitol Bureau
Monday, March 21, 2022
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development has approved a $400,000 grant to fund the commercial driver’s license training program at Western Nevada College.
Stacey Bostwick, GOED’s director of workforce development, said Nevada is 4,509 jobs below the national average in commercial licensed drivers.
“This program in Carson City will create 100 training slots for jobs with an average starting wage of $24 an hour,” she said.
Bostwick said nationally, there is a shortage of 80,000 CDL holders and that number is growing.
“The CDL program is one of those that will help train workers for an industry that is seeing significant vacancies,” said Kyle Dalpe, WNC’s interim president.
He said the program will be offered at WNC’s campuses in Carson City and Fallon.
The Nevada Trucking Association says roughly 92 percent of manufactured goods in Nevada are brought to the state by truck. A spokesman said that makes a trained truck driving workforce critical to ensure goods reach the state.
Carson Mayor Lori Bagwell said skilled drivers are in high demand with local employers.
“This training provides a pathway to a meaningful career and a healthy paycheck,” she said.
WNC already operates a smaller CDL training program in Fallon. This funding will expand it to Carson City. It has developed connections with several trucking companies as well as working with REAL Women in Trucking.
The program is being operated through GOED’s Workforce innovation for the New Nevada, which was created to address workforce needs of companies in the state.
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