Friday, May 9, 2008
New Arkansas Initiative To Recruit, Train 300 New Truckers
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Mike Beebe announced May 9 a new pilot initiative to train displaced workers and other eligible Arkansans to qualify as truck drivers. The Trucking Workforce Pilot Initiative aims to train 300 Arkansans for trucking jobs and place them with trucking companies. The Department of Workforce Services will work with the Governor’s Dislocated Workers Task Force and the trucking industry to recruit and place drivers. Training will take place through programs at ASU-Newport and Mid-South Community College.

"We have out-of-work Arkansans who need good jobs, and we have an industry with good jobs to fill," Governor Beebe said. "This initiative will bring these two groups together and further build our workforce."

"The need for truckers is there, but we don’t have a pool of qualified people to draw from for those jobs," said Steve Williams, Chairman and CEO of Maverick USA. "State assistance with training and placement will help us take great strides in getting people ready for the road."

The program will use approximately $1 million of existing funds to train as many as 300 Arkansans. It will take only four-to-five weeks for qualified applicants to go from enrollment to job placement. Participants in the initiative will be screened, trained, complete the WorkKeys Assessment, receive their Arkansas Career Readiness Certificates and be placed with employers. Entry-rate salaries for these jobs range from $35,000 to $50,000.

Anyone seeking more information about the Trucking Workforce Pilot Initiative may contact Mike Kennedy with the Department of Workforce Services at (501) 682-3142 or [email protected].