Bruce
Bruce attended an informational session at the American Job Center® in Rock Island. He was seeking funding assistance for truck driver training at Scott Community College to acquire his Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL Class A Drivers’ License). Bruce had been a successful attorney in downtown Chicago, and was a married father of three children living the American dream. Struggles with alcoholism led to the end of his marriage, a felony conviction, and the loss of his license to practice law.
An ex-offender, Bruce found employment as a Production Supervisor at Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois. When Bruce lost his job at Tyson, he was eligible for WIOA training assistance as a dislocated worker. Through WIOA funding, Bruce enrolled and successfully completed the CDL program at Scott Community College. He also received a certificate by the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools and Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), along with his endorsements for HazMat and Doubles.
As a CDL driver, Bruce first worked at Schneider National Carriers, Inc., driving a semi-tractor/trailer with a dedicated route for Dollar General. His current CDL job is with Decker Trucking, where he is now earning $75,000 annually. With plans to close on a house soon, Bruce continues to attend AA meetings and encourages everyone that they can move forward and pursue their dreams.