HAMLET — Fifteen people are hitting the road with the foundation to be good, safe truck drivers after completing the nine-week truck driver training program offered at Richmond Community College in partnership with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.
RichmondCC held its graduation ceremony Nov. 20 for successful completers of the program. Graduates include Curtis Franklin, Christopher Wall, Jeffrey Smith, Jimmy Reynolds, Robert Morris, Sandy Faircloth, Stanley Franklin, James Wilson and Yussiff Yahya, all of Richmond County; Stephen Bennett and Kimberly Mintz of Scotland County; Veraka Sturdivant and Hunter Sheppard of Anson County; and Jeremy Milligan of Robeson County.
Dr. Robbie Taylor, vice president of Workforce & Economic Development at RichmondCC, welcomed everyone to the ceremony and acknowledge the collaborative effort with CCCTI to offer truck driver training at RichmondCC. This is the fourth class of truck drivers to graduate from the program.
“I want to thank all the family and friends of the graduates for coming and for your support of these students graduating today. I want to thank the students. This is a life-changing moment, and you should be very proud of yourself for completing this program and pursuing a career in the trucking industry,” Taylor said.
Sen. Tom McInnis, who was instrumental in securing the state funds to bring truck driver training to RichmondCC, also spoke at the graduation ceremony.
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Today is the day you start to make a change and a difference in your life,” McInnis said.
McInnis encouraged the graduates to move forward and hold their heads high and “shine like a penny.”
The nine-week program provides classroom lecture followed by many practice sessions behind the wheel. Upon completion of the course, students take a final road test for their commercial driver’s license at RichmondCC’s training facility.
CCCTI provides instructors for the class, including CCTI Director of Truck Driver Training Roger Chester, who spoke at the graduation ceremony.
“I want to congratulate each and every one of you. I also want to thank the families for supporting you because this is a new era in your life,” said Chester. “Truck driving is just not an old truck driving job anymore; it is a professional job.”
To Sign Up
For more information about the next truck driver training course, call Workforce and Economic Development Program Director Holly Russell at 910-410-1704 or email hjrussll@richmondcc.edu.