Career Specialist Dana Marlow reports on her customer. “Dustin was 33 years old, married, and a father of 2 children when he first came to Man-Tra-Con for job search assistance in November 2020. He had been unemployed for one year after being “laid-off” from his job at Nasco in Nashville, Illinois, where he worked as a forklift driver,” Dana explains.
“Dustin was interested in attending the CDL Truck Driver training program beginning in November 2020 at Rend Lake College (RLC) Extension in Pinckneyville, Illinois. He needed assistance with tuition, fees and transportation costs, since his wife did not work, and he was the only provider for his family. As a dislocated worker, Dustin was eligible to receive WIOA training assistance to help pay for his education and related costs. He completed the CDL program at RLC, and received his CDL license in December 2020,” Dana adds.
“With his CDL license and training completed, Dustin was able to work toward his goal of finding employment as a truck driver. Dustin was worried that an old misdemeanor charge for cannabis and disorderly conduct years ago would be a barrier to his getting hired. He contacted several trucking companies and explained his situation,” Dana reports.
“His efforts lead to success when Southern Illinois Motor Express hired Dustin for a Truck Driver position. He began work on January 11, 2021, earning $20.00+ per hour, working 40 hours per week,” Dana adds.
“Dustin is grateful for the assistance he received that helped him find a good paying job and be able to take care of his family, while working for a company close to his home in Pinckneyville. He is really happy to be back at work full-time doing work he enjoys,” Dana says.