A single mother of two teenage boys, Deanna was laid off during the pandemic. She moved to the south metro to get away from difficult circumstances where she had been living and to look for new employment. Deanna had been a light delivery driver and was interested in getting her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

Deanne contacted Jim Sutton at CareerForce in Burnsville for help getting prepared for an in-demand job as a Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver. There’s been a great need for truck drivers during the pandemic and the work pays well. In Minnesota, most heavy truck drivers earn between $20.50 to $28.76 per hour.

Deanna was eligible for the Dislocated Worker program, which paid for her Class A CDL training and she successfully obtained her Class A license. She began attending virtual hiring events through CareerForce in early 2021 and one of the participating employers made her an offer in April. She accepted the offer and is now starting work as a full-time Heavy Truck Driver, making over $3.00 an hour more than at her previous job.

“She worked very hard and displayed a lot of determination to get to this point,” said Jim Sutton, who is very proud of Deanna’s accomplishments.

Find out if you are eligible for Dislocated Worker or other programs or services to get prepared for an in-demand job. Call or email staff at a CareerForce location near you today!