Joseph
Man-Tra-Con presented Joseph with an Apprenticeship Certificate of Completion from the U.S. Department of Labor on October 22, 2025. Joseph had been an apprentice in an On-the-Job Training program (OJT) at Crisp Container Corporation since last year. The Apprenticeship Illinois program helped pay for a portion of his wages as he trained to be a CDL driver at Crisp Container.
Joseph previously worked as a corrections officer in Sneads, Florida before moving back to Southern Illinois. After settling in, he was hired as a salesperson for Black Diamond Harley Davidson in Marion.
With a wife and a child on the way, Joseph needed a better paying job. He applied multiple times at Pepsi MidAmerica and was eventually hired in September 2024. After 3 months, he transferred to a CDL position at Crisp Container where he completed his CDL apprenticeship training.
Joseph enjoyed his experience in the training program, the instructors, and getting to know the other drivers. “You have other employees that come in from different depots, so you take that time you have with them, you make friends with them, and make it the best. So, it’s all around a really good experience,” Joseph says.
Joseph talks about working as a CDL driver. “I like it. It’s definitely different. I did drive for Black Diamond for just a little bit, but I never drove a ‘semi.’ My biological father and my adoptive father both drive ‘semis.’ It’s kind of nice to be that second to third generation also in a truck,” Joseph explains.
“As of right now, I drive a tanker truck. I like the job because I get a lot of time to think about things. It’s 300 or more miles a day that I drive and I get to think about everything. If something ever goes wrong, I’ve already got a plan for it… The best thing I like about this job is the driving,” Joseph adds.
Joseph advises anyone thinking of applying for a job at Pepsi MidAmerica. “It is really hard in today’s economy to find a job that consistently pays your bills. Being 22 years old, I’ve told many younger 20-year-olds, ‘If you are looking to get out of a current job, I recommend Pepsi a lot.’ This job pays my bills. I have 2 kids now and a wife that doesn’t work. This job helps me pay the bills so that she can stay home with our kids,” Joseph says.