Military service members who want to start a new career in the trucking industry as they transition to civilian life can train for free at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. Courtesy photo
Attention, military service members about to become civilians. Del Mar College is offering free training for careers in the trucking industry. The money comes from the Texas Workforce Commission through the Skills for Transition Program.
“The trucking industry is a good fit for veterans,” said John Rojas, DMC director of Transportation Training Services. “With the pay, experience, and discipline they come in with, it’s a great transition to the civilian workforce.”
Recently or soon-to-be discharged service members can earn a Class A Commercial Driver’s License after four weeks of daytime classes or 10 weeks of evening classes. A CDL is good for driving any tractor-trailer rig.
In addition, U.S. Xpress Inc. is offering an apprenticeship program through which veterans can earn money while they are training. U.S. Xpress is one of the largest trucking companies in the country.
“The industry is reaching out to veterans because there’s such a huge demand for truck drivers,” Rojas said. “The jobs are plentiful.”
To qualify for the free tuition, participants must meet the following:
• be preparing to separate from service in the next 180 days or have been discharged within the past six months;
• plan to remain in Texas;
• obtained career counseling to determine suitability toward specific training;
• if an active duty service member, receive permission from commanding officer to participate in training;
• if a separated service member, have a DD-214;
• and not have received a dishonorable discharge.
Active duty service members can contact the Command Transition Officer at Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi at (361) 961-2372. Veterans should contact the Del Mar College Veterans Center at (361) 698-1683 to enroll.
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, close to 40,000 veterans are currently job hunting in Texas. Each year, some 20,000 service members transition from Texas military facilities to civilian life.
Texas Operation Welcome Home, which is part of the Skills for Transition Program at TWC, provides a clear pathway for military service members to transition to employment in Texas.
