JWCC plans June truck driver training, CNA courses for Pittsfield

By Editor | February 12, 2024 |

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

A six week session of John Wood Community College’s (JWCC) Truck Driver Training (TDT) program is planned for Pittsfield – running from June 3 to July 11. The program will be held at JWCC’s Southeast Education Center (SEC) and at a range owned by LSSD Trucking.
According to JWCC’s Lead TDT Instructor Phil Steinkamp, JWCC TDT program has identified a need for truck driver training courses in Pike County and the eastern portions of JWCC’s district.
“There’s demand for truck drivers everywhere,” Steinkamp said. “There’s always been a need for it in Pike County. Having the class here is just the college better servicing the southeast portion of our area.”
Steinkamp said that there are regularly students who sign up for JWCC TDT courses from Pike, Brown, Calhoun, Scott, and Morgan counties.
The JWCC TDT program, Steinkamp said, engages with employers in the trucking industry, so that the program better understands the needs of employers and trends in the industry. In Pike County, Steinkamp said the program leveraged relationships with local employers to design and launch the TDT courses planned for the county.
“Wes Dunham from LSSD Trucking is on our advisory committee,” Steinkamp said. “He offered the use of LSSD’s range by the park-and-ride for our classes.”
According to a JWCC press release, expanding the TDT program plays a vital role in helping the local economy and improving the career prospects of individuals living in the area.
“The trucking industry is a crucial part of the economy; truck driving programs can contribute to the growth and stability of this industry,” Hagman wrote in a statement. “By producing skilled drivers, JWCC helps meet the demand for transportation services and support the movement of goods and products across the country. JWCC’s Truck Driving Program is critically important because we provide students with job opportunities, skills training, career advancement and contribute to the economic growth of the trucking industry. Truck driving is an in-demand profession, and many employers are looking for qualified drivers. By offering a truck driving program, JWCC can help students prepare for this career path and increase their chances of finding a job.”
Also planned to start in June at the SEC in Pittsfield is a summer session of the college’s CNA program. The summer Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program is planned to run from June 10 to Aug. 1.
JWCC’s CNA curriculum includes classroom, lab, and clinical experience in a long-term care facility or hospital setting. CNAs are prepared to provide one-on-one assistance with “activities of daily living” (ADLs), defined as dressing, bathing, walking, feeding, making beds, taking and recording vital signs, and other essential basic services. This care may be provided to hospital patients, care facility residents, or those requiring home healthcare.
For more information on either program to be offered at the SEC, contact the center at 217-285-5319 or [email protected].