Am I suggesting that you don’t get job training? Of course not everyone needs some type of training on the job and that is normal and expected. What I am suggesting is if you are new to the industry or career that you are looking for that you consider career training as opposed to one specific type of job training. Let me share an example with you.
Bob is looking for a new job as he recently lost his job from a previous employer. He is 45 years old with a wife and two kids and needs something more stable. The industry he was in before has become unstable and he wants something that will offer him steady work. Bob is currently looking at two opportunities both in the transportation industry because he has heard there is steady work. One opportunity is with a company handling administration work in load planning and the other is over the road as a professional truck driver. Bob is eligible for funding assistance for the new career if he takes the driver training, but he is not sure he wants to go out on the road. The real question is which opportunity should he take?
As someone who has been in the industry for many years I often come across people trying to decide on job opportunities similar to this. They have an immediate opportunity for one position but are able to get subsidized training for another option that may take longer to complete but offer more options for the future.
Every decision here will be a personal decision for the person deciding. Personal issues, income availability, and work ambitions all come into play in the decision. If we were to use Bob’s scenario above and assuming Bob had the income to keep him a float for approximately eight weeks. Then the driving position would be the direction I would suggest he go, here is why.
If he takes the first option of the load planning position he would learn about that particular job and it may move him up the career ladder through that carrier or another company with similar positions. Here is the problems I see with this position. You will only be understanding the job from your job focus for the most part. Your career future may be limited due to positions available in the future if something happens to your job. Depending on where your future takes you it may not have the respect of the team below you if you haven’t got a true understanding of the road. Now I am certainly not saying that someone who hasn’t driven before can’t have a solid career in trucking, it just takes more homework.
If Bob takes the option of going through a truck training course he will have more options available for the future. He may not want to drive forever but driving positions are the most positions available now and in the future if someone is looking for steady work. Having a commercial driver’s licence allows for a variety a variety of opportunities from local work to highway operations allowing for more variety on the job depending on the carrier. There are more options for finding the type of work of preference and the income potential is high right from the start. In the training course Bob will learn all aspects of the transportation industry and that will offer a good base of understanding and respect from others in the industry should Bob move off the road at a later date.
Looking at your career options farther than your current opportunities can be tough at first but if you think about the big picture you will see that many times the longer the opportunity for access the more opportunities it will produce down the road. Of course that’s just my opinion.
About the Author
Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years. He is an author of the books Driven to Drive and Running By The Mile, and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast. TTSAO also known as the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has certified member schools in the truck training vocation ensuring quality entry level drivers enter the transportation industry. To learn more about the TTSAO or to find a certified school in your area visit www.ttsao.com