TEAMSTER DRIVERS' SCHOOL OFFERS CAREERS AND SKILLS UPGRADES
If you've ever thought about upgrading your driving skills to get a Class A license and a potentially more lucrative career, the Teamsters Driver Training School is the place for you.
The School has been in existence for 12 years, but recently has received government grants and is building community connections so that it can provide a wide range of training for a much-reduced price.
"We're looking for a permanent home," explains Program Director Ron Hermanson. "But right now, we've got a great long-term temporary location at the Port of Oakland (555 Maritime Street)."
The course runs four weeks, Monday- through-Friday, from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Classes start monthly, usually on the first of the month.
The school provides a study guide for the Class A license and the endorsements. "We supply all of the trucks and instructors and make the appointments for the DMV tests," Hermanson adds. "Our philosophy is to prepare our students to go to work, not just to get a Class A license."
The school's test vehicle is a tractor with a 6-speed transmission and a 28-foot trailer. Students are also trained to drive 6, 7, 9 and 10-speed tractors, 2 and 3-axle, 40-foot trailers and sets of doubles.
In fact, the school's success rate for people getting jobs is basically 100%. "Out of all of the students who graduated in the last year and half, their success rate in passing the Class A is 100% and they have all gotten work," says Hermanson.
The training is offered by instructors with 30 years of experience of Class A driving in various industries. After 160 hours of training and completion of the Class A license, each student is given a certificate of completion. Class size will range from four to 12 students, but the teaching ratio will never be more than five students per instructor.
"The first four days," Hermanson says, "students are given classroom instruction. And each day, they start driving the trucks on the driving range. By Friday of week one, they take their first trip out on the road. They drive every day from then on until they take their DMV driving test."
This year, the school will train at least 60 students. "We're planning for at least 120 next year," Hermanson says, "but expect it will be closer to 200 students."
Hermanson says that the school is making new partners with employers and workforce investment boards all the time. "We have a partnership with Alameda College in the Warehouse Logistics Partnership, which is starting this spring. Our students will be able to go to Alameda College, in warehousing, learn forklift driving and logistics and, in addition, take a course as a truck driver."
The school will be implementing a passenger endorsement certification for a 19-passenger bus. This training should be available by June.
"We're looking to grow and open campuses in other counties as well," Hermanson adds.
ELIGIBILITY The school is open to anyone -- both union and non-union, but their connections for job placement are with union firms.
Students are required to have their Class A permit with airbrakes on the first day of class. They also have to know how to drive a stick shift vehicle.
Disqualifications would include having a DUI within the last 10 years, more than two points on a current DMV record and failure to pass a drug screen.
COSTS The cost for the training is $3,600, but few students pay that amount directly. Instead, there are three main ways that students access the school.
* Employer Sponsored: Students are encouraged to contact their employers to let them know about the opportunity to train under an Employment Training Panel (ETP) grant.
If you are sponsored by your employer, they will continue to pay your wages during training and they will pay a portion of the training cost (approximately $800-$1,000). This still represents a significant savings to them. Also, employers send people to the school for customized training.
* Retraining through your local one-stop career center: If you are unemployed, under-employed, coming from another industry or dealing with a plant closure, you may be eligible to get the training for free. One-stops are located throughout the nine Bay Area Counties and will determine if you are qualified for free training under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Due to funding streams, students are advised to contact their one-stop center in June.
* Direct Payment: Some students have paid the $3,600 directly to the school out of their own pocket because they were up for a higher-paid position at work, but their employer wouldn't pay for their training.
TO APPLY You may pick up an applications at Local 70 or contact your local union hall.
For more information, contact Ron Hermanson at 510-830-9432. Leave a clear message and Ron will return your calls between 9-11 a.m. or 2-4 p.m
If you've ever thought about upgrading your driving skills to get a Class A license and a potentially more lucrative career, the Teamsters Driver Training School is the place for you.
The School has been in existence for 12 years, but recently has received government grants and is building community connections so that it can provide a wide range of training for a much-reduced price.
"We're looking for a permanent home," explains Program Director Ron Hermanson. "But right now, we've got a great long-term temporary location at the Port of Oakland (555 Maritime Street)."
The course runs four weeks, Monday- through-Friday, from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Classes start monthly, usually on the first of the month.
The school provides a study guide for the Class A license and the endorsements. "We supply all of the trucks and instructors and make the appointments for the DMV tests," Hermanson adds. "Our philosophy is to prepare our students to go to work, not just to get a Class A license."
The school's test vehicle is a tractor with a 6-speed transmission and a 28-foot trailer. Students are also trained to drive 6, 7, 9 and 10-speed tractors, 2 and 3-axle, 40-foot trailers and sets of doubles.
In fact, the school's success rate for people getting jobs is basically 100%. "Out of all of the students who graduated in the last year and half, their success rate in passing the Class A is 100% and they have all gotten work," says Hermanson.
The training is offered by instructors with 30 years of experience of Class A driving in various industries. After 160 hours of training and completion of the Class A license, each student is given a certificate of completion. Class size will range from four to 12 students, but the teaching ratio will never be more than five students per instructor.
"The first four days," Hermanson says, "students are given classroom instruction. And each day, they start driving the trucks on the driving range. By Friday of week one, they take their first trip out on the road. They drive every day from then on until they take their DMV driving test."
This year, the school will train at least 60 students. "We're planning for at least 120 next year," Hermanson says, "but expect it will be closer to 200 students."
Hermanson says that the school is making new partners with employers and workforce investment boards all the time. "We have a partnership with Alameda College in the Warehouse Logistics Partnership, which is starting this spring. Our students will be able to go to Alameda College, in warehousing, learn forklift driving and logistics and, in addition, take a course as a truck driver."
The school will be implementing a passenger endorsement certification for a 19-passenger bus. This training should be available by June.
"We're looking to grow and open campuses in other counties as well," Hermanson adds.
ELIGIBILITY The school is open to anyone -- both union and non-union, but their connections for job placement are with union firms.
Students are required to have their Class A permit with airbrakes on the first day of class. They also have to know how to drive a stick shift vehicle.
Disqualifications would include having a DUI within the last 10 years, more than two points on a current DMV record and failure to pass a drug screen.
COSTS The cost for the training is $3,600, but few students pay that amount directly. Instead, there are three main ways that students access the school.
* Employer Sponsored: Students are encouraged to contact their employers to let them know about the opportunity to train under an Employment Training Panel (ETP) grant.
If you are sponsored by your employer, they will continue to pay your wages during training and they will pay a portion of the training cost (approximately $800-$1,000). This still represents a significant savings to them. Also, employers send people to the school for customized training.
* Retraining through your local one-stop career center: If you are unemployed, under-employed, coming from another industry or dealing with a plant closure, you may be eligible to get the training for free. One-stops are located throughout the nine Bay Area Counties and will determine if you are qualified for free training under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Due to funding streams, students are advised to contact their one-stop center in June.
* Direct Payment: Some students have paid the $3,600 directly to the school out of their own pocket because they were up for a higher-paid position at work, but their employer wouldn't pay for their training.
TO APPLY You may pick up an applications at Local 70 or contact your local union hall.
For more information, contact Ron Hermanson at 510-830-9432. Leave a clear message and Ron will return your calls between 9-11 a.m. or 2-4 p.m