FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2007
Contact Ben Chambers, (770) 537-5756

COMMERCIAL TRUCK GRADS READY FOR NEW JOBS

Eleven graduates received certificates in Commercial Truck Driving Friday, July 6, 2007. Graduating July 6 were Joshua B. Cole of Douglasville, Richard A. Duvall of Cedartown, Chrystal L. Fortner of Buchanan, Adam K. Foster of Newnan, Tracy Johns of Carrollton, Mitchell Phillips of Villa Rica, Richard L. Sanders of Carrollton, Richard Smith of Carrollton, Roxanne M. Stewart of Carrollton, David L. Waits of Roopville and Ronald L. West of Carrollton. Also shown are instructors Raymond Hart, Chad Ledbetter and Randall Smith, along with WCTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan.

Loaded up with training for a new career – and packing several job offers – Tracy Johns received a certificate in Commercial Truck Driving July 6 from West Central Technical College. Johns, a Carrollton resident who is looking to start a new career after several years as an aircraft mechanic, was one of 11 graduates at the Carroll campus graduation ceremony.

“The instructors here were professional, personable. It was a really enjoyable experience,” Johns said. “I really enjoyed the instruction and the extra-curricular activities that we were able to do.”

As part of the instruction, Johns and his classmates were introduced to potential employers and helped by their instructors to find the job offer that was the best fit for them.

“They were all the time bringing employers in to see us, and the instructors really helped us to understand which companies were good places to work,” Johns said.

It is that kind of real-world learning that sets West Central apart, WCTC President Skip Sullivan told the graduates.

“You now have training that is always in demand,” Sullivan said. “You are West Central alumni, and you have what it takes to be successful in the trucking industry.”

During his address, Sullivan shared some stories of his own experiences in the trucking industry. 

West Central’s commercial truck driving certificate program gets students out of the classroom and on the road to address the actual training needs of the trucking industry. The program provides a course of study that covers all the knowledge and skills required to operate a tractor and trailer safely and properly while emphasizing a combination of commercial truck driving theory and practical application necessary for successful employment as an entry level driver.

The program – housed at WCTC’s Carroll campus – takes a student all the way to a certificate in ten weeks. Raymond Hart and Chad Ledbetter are full-time commercial truck driving instructors.

Each student also gets a chance to compete in the truck championship rodeo, held the last week of each class. Skills involved include precision backing and parallel parking from both driver and passenger side. Competitors also must identify flaws with the vehicle they are driving in a pre-trip inspection. The driver with the most combined points from pre-trip and backing maneuvers wins the rodeo.

The first place winner for the July 6 graduating class was Richard Duval. He received an engraved award plaque. The second place winner, Chrystal Fortner, received a West Central T-shirt.

Graduating July 6 were Joshua B. Cole of Douglasville, Richard A. Duvall of Cedartown, Chrystal L. Fortner of Buchanan, Adam K. Foster of Newnan, Tracy Johns of Carrollton, Mitchell Phillips of Villa Rica, Richard L. Sanders of Carrollton, Richard Smith of Carrollton, Roxanne M. Stewart of Carrollton, David L. Waits of Roopville and Ronald L. West of Carrollton.

“I’ve been through lots of training, but this was some of the most fun and best training I’ve ever had,” Johns said. “It was really a great experience.”

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