{"id":136487,"date":"2021-03-02T12:31:30","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T22:31:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=136487"},"modified":"2022-02-01T11:00:54","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T21:00:54","slug":"commercial-truck-driver-training-leeward-cc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/03\/02\/commercial-truck-driver-training-leeward-cc\/","title":{"rendered":"Commercial truck driver training at Leeward CC<\/abbr> on a roll"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Instructor
Mike Scully (center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Short-term training for a lasting career” is what Leeward Community College\u2019s Commercial Motor Vehicle<\/a> (CMV<\/abbr>) series provides students, according to instructor Mike Scully<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This program, offered through Leeward CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Office of Continuing Education and Workforce Development<\/a> (OCEWD<\/abbr>), prepares participants for their commercial driver\u2019s license (CDL<\/abbr>) in just seven weeks.<\/p>\n

Scully is a prime example of how this program can quickly help an individual launch a new career as a truck driver. Formerly a culinary faculty who was reassigned to OCEWD<\/abbr>, he decided to take the class (with no previous truck driving experience) with the hopes of becoming an instructor.<\/p>\n

“I envisioned this as an opportunity to contribute to our program and help those in the community,” he said.<\/p>\n

Setting an example<\/h2>\n
\"Student<\/a>
Leeward CC<\/abbr> driving simulator, click for larger image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While working full-time as a coordinator, Scully was eventually able to obtain his Class A<\/abbr> CDL<\/abbr> license, including all of the CDL<\/abbr> endorsements (a total of 11 tests), and land a job driving tractor-trailers for Y. Hata & Co., Ltd. This job gives him road experience that adds value to his classes.<\/p>\n

As an educator, and motorcycle safety instructor for eight years, Scully\u2019s skill as a teacher is proven as all 13 of the students from his last three classes have obtained their CDL<\/abbr> licenses and six more will be taking their tests in a few weeks. Many of these students were displaced workers who took advantage of funding from the O\u2018ahu Back to Work initiative, or the American Job Center on Oʻahu<\/span>, which covered the cost of tuition.<\/p>\n

For Kahalepuna “Puna” Tani<\/strong>, this class came at just the right time.<\/p>\n

“It was one of the only (CDL<\/abbr>) classes running at the time. They were quick to respond and were willing to take me,” Tani said. “With funding through the American Job Center, I was able to take this class. My experience was awesome. Mike did an awesome job of training us. To me, anyone could pass the class if they put in the time and effort.”<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Tani to find work, landing a full-time position at J&M<\/abbr> Cesspool and Septic Pumping, LLC<\/abbr> as a truck driver.<\/p>\n

Industry partnerships<\/h2>\n

With so many applicants from Leeward CC<\/abbr> trying for a CDL<\/abbr> license, the State CDL<\/abbr> Licensing Office took notice. Lead examiner Monica Irlas now visits the Leeward CC<\/abbr> campus to speak to Scully\u2019s classes, offering them an educational interaction instead of just meeting them in a testing situation.<\/p>\n

Being in the industry has also allowed Scully to develop partnerships with employers. He is currently training technicians and marketing staff from International Trucks of Hawaii to obtain their CDL<\/abbr> license, and he is working on expanding into Class B<\/abbr> CDL<\/abbr> training this summer with several businesses. Having these partnerships also allows him to connect his students with possible future employers.<\/p>\n

“CDL<\/abbr> drivers are working every day and keeping the island going during this pandemic,” Scully said. “Many displaced workers are realizing that they will always have a job if they can obtain their CDL<\/abbr>.”<\/p>\n

For more information visit the Commercial Motor Vehicle<\/a> (CMV<\/abbr>) program website, or contact Mike Scully at mscully@hawaii.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Shaka
Kahalepuna Tani at work<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The commercial driver\u2019s license training can connect students to a new career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1525,718,65,1524,71,603],"class_list":["post-136487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-commercial-motor-vehicle-program","tag-continuing-education","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-office-of-continuing-education-workforce-development","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t