Organization forms to recruit next generation to trucking

A new organization has one goal in mind: convince young people to join the trucking industry. 

The Next Generation in Trucking Association, recently announced new school partnerships to provide CDL driver and diesel technician programs for young adults in Kentucky, Wisconsin, and California. The group was started by leaders in the trucking industry to engage the next generation of trucking industry professionals by partnering with public and private schools and community/technical colleges to offer training opportunities that eventually lead to jobs. 

Lindsey Trent, Ryder customer and business development manager and co-chair of Next Generation in Trucking“Programs like this one are critical game-changers for not only developing a skilled workforce but also creating pathways for that skilled workforce to advance in their careers in the trucking industry,” said Lindsey Trent, Ryder customer and business development manager and co-chair of Next Generation in Trucking. “We are eager to train, mentor, and match a fresh generation of drivers to the 21st century needs and demands of the trucking industry.

“Truck driving is a physically demanding job, but also requires an understanding of the technology many trucks are outfitted with today. By starting a trucker’s career earlier, we not only get digitally native drivers behind the wheel, but drivers in their prime."

The Next Generation in Trucking Association's goals include:

• Promote trucking as a positive career field
• Encourage the training and employment of young people in the trucking industry
• Promote their education and connect them to training and employment opportunities
• Create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce in communities nationwide.

The Next Generation in Trucking Association has been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor as a Nationally Registered Apprenticeship Program for CDL Driving.