COD truck driving school begins in January

The College of DuPage Truck Driving School will begin offering courses this January at the Addison Regional Center. Enrollment is open, with new classes beginning monthly.

Licensed by the Illinois Secretary of State to provide Commercial Driver's License instruction, College of DuPage Continuing Education is partnering with Bell CDL Enterprises, Inc., to prepare students for CDL certification. Students can choose between the 240-hour course or the 160-hour course depending on previous experience.

“The timing was right to offer a truck driving program for the community,” said Joe Cassidy, Dean of Continuing Education/Extended Learning at College of DuPage. “The industry is growing, with more than 290,000 new jobs expected in the United States during the next decade. At College of DuPage, students will receive quality training by experienced senior instructors – including classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.”

Cassidy added that job placement assistance is available through the truck driving school for those who complete their CDL certification. A number of employers provide tuition reimbursement and VA funding applies.

Cassidy said he is excited about the business model inherent in this public/private collaboration.

“During challenging economic times, working together in new ways is critical to support employees and employers in the region,” Cassidy said. “We are confident this program will live up to College of DuPage's standard of programmatic excellence and provide graduates with an advantage in the job market. We already have more than 25 employers who have expressed an interest in working with us and our graduates.”

College of DuPage is the largest single-campus community college located outside of California and the second-largest provider of higher education in the state of Illinois, serving nearly 30,000 students each term. In Illinois, 60 percent of the career and technical program graduates are employed in the community college district where they were educated and trained.

The Addison Regional Center is located at 301 S. Swift Road. To learn more about the Truck Driving School and the next available session, call Chris Bell at (630) 942-2275, email bellc55@cod.edu, or visit www.cod.edu/conted.