Wallace State-Oneonta’s CDL program, Alabama Guardrail, Inc., form valuable partnership
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Alabama Guardrail, Inc., and Wallace State-Oneonta’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program have been a perfect fit for nearly a year, sparked from Alabama Guardrail looking to consistently employ drivers full-time.
“We would advertise for a driver, making them understand the job here also required you had to work on crew and construction, and it was hard to retain them. Most didn’t like the construction side of the job,” said Jack Green of Alabama Guardrail’s Human Resources Department.
As Green and others at Alabama Guardrail were brainstorming about finding methods to sustain drivers, he was informed about potentially recruiting from
Wallace State-Oneonta’s CDL program.
“All of our employees who have gone through the Wallace State program are with us today. Last year we enjoyed our largest production year we’ve ever had, and I think a lot of that should be attributed to this partnership and having consistent drivers available,” Green said. “Our employees love the Wallace State CDL instructors. It’s one thing to study and complete the course and get your license and another to earn the hand’s-on coaching and encouragement our employees are receiving from the instructors. They help knock out the apprehension that may come with driving a big rig.
“The flexibility and willingness for Wallace State to work with us has been great.”
Alabama Guardrail is a contractor for the highway, street and construction industries, specializing in the installation and maintenance of highway guardrails, anchors, fencing and signs, among other duties. The organization recently won the Blount-Oneonta Chamber of Commerce’s Industry of the Year award and the 2018 Gary Savage Workforce Development Award from the Associated General Contractors of America.
The partnership has also benefitted Wallace State.
“Earning a CDL through Wallace State is a credential you can present to an employer like Alabama Guardrail and have instant opportunities. It’s a great stepping stone to getting your foot in the door,” said Austin Monk, Wallace State’s Director of Workforce Training Solutions. “Our CDL license is something a student can attain in six weeks. If a person can commit themselves for six weeks, they finish with a license that is extremely marketable.”
Josh Jepson, an Alabama Guardrail employee, completed the CDL program last July, fulfilling a promise he told vowed to himself and his wife years ago.
“Alabama Guardrail has helped me change my life in more ways than one and this CDL class did as well. Paying attention to my instructors is what helped me get through the course. I had previously failed the CDL test before their instruction. I had nothing in life for a long time because I made bad decisions. I’ve come from a low spot to now thinking I can make something of myself. I told myself when I was younger that I wanted to drive a truck and to be successful,” Jepson said. “If you put your mind to something and believe in yourself, you can do anything.”
For more information about Alabama Guardrail, Inc., visit http://www.alguardrail.com/
For more information about Wallace State’s CDL training, contact 256.352.7811 or visit http://www.wallacestate.edu/programs/workforce-development/tfbi/cdl
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
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Kristen Holmes
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