Mid-East Receives Grants for Commercial Driver License Training Program

ZANESVILLE, OH – Mid-East Career and Technology Centers was granted a $1.3 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The grant from the ARC will allow Mid-East to expand their Commercial Driver License training program, a program that helps students acquire their CDL licenses and jobs while combatting a shortage of drivers in the trucking industry.

“I’m excited for our students and for our community. There’s a huge shortage of truck drivers out there. You drive around and you see it all the time on billboards about how much they’re hiring and it’s crazy that for the amount of training that’s required, that you can turn around and have a great job. Obviously, it’s not an easy job, but it takes a lot of time and hard work. You have to pass your test and of course receive all the proper safety training,” Mid-East Superintendent, Matt Sheridan said.

In addition to the ARC grant, the J.W. and M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation and The Muskingum County Commissioners awarded Mid-East with over $300,000 to help pay for students earn their commercial driver license. With all the grant funds, Mid-East will purchase CDL trucks and will be constructing an access road.

“The biggest thing that we’re excited about is we’re going to expand our program and gravel the back 11 acres and create an access road out to Jim Granger Drive. Also, we’re going to buy eight CDL trucks with trailers. Then, we’re going to expand our pilot program that we currently have with Tri-Valley to our 12 other partner schools,” Sheridan said.

Through Mid-East’s partnership program, they’re hoping to train 12 students a year through each one of their 13 partner schools.