The CDL Type A jobs are the most requested by prospective employers, said Colleen Tuckner, training coordinator at Kaua‘i Community College. Tuckner and instructor Steven Carvalho celebrated alongside 10 CDL Type A graduates who successfully completed the latest class and
The CDL Type A jobs are the most requested by prospective employers, said Colleen Tuckner, training coordinator at Kaua‘i Community College.
Tuckner and instructor Steven Carvalho celebrated alongside 10 CDL Type A graduates who successfully completed the latest class and earned their licenses.
Offered through the WorkWise! program, Tuckner said the CDL Type A jobs seem to be the ones most needing to be filled by prospective employers.
“There’s quite a few requests for these types of jobs,” Tuckner said.
Tuesday’s get-together marked the third year the program has been around, and Carvalho was proud to say most of the previous graduates are still in their positions, with Tuckner getting good job reviews from their employers.
Carvalho said that of the current graduates, one is a woman — a trend that continues with each graduating class.
Several of the graduates currently have jobs but will utilize the CDL Type A license to upgrade within their respective organizations.
Arthur Duncan, a mechanic, will use his CDL Type A certification to help move the trucks around the yard, Tuckner said.
Andrew Winchester works with a lot of Type A vehicles. His new license will enable him to move into a new job classification and better pay.
Several of the candidates took the class in because their employers are expecting expanded lines of Type A vehicles.
“When the Type A trucks arrive, they’ll be ready to move into those positions right away,” Carvalho said.
Kimo Cabral, another mechanic, earned praise from his instructor.
“He’s a damned good mechanic,” Carvalho said of the father of Kaua‘i’s first baby of 2007. “He wants to drive, but not full time. He can use this CDL Type A to be able to drive when he feels like it.”
Cabral, when interviewed Jan. 1 after the birth of his child, said he is anticipating the beginning of heavy equipment classes currently being negotiated by Tuckner and her staff.
Tuckner is also ironing out the details for light equipment classes.
The most recent class graduates are James Berardi, Winchester, Douglas Aviguetero, Jason Kaleiohi, Nolan Keale, Bradley Fune, Cabral, Duncan Jr., Roy Simao and Frances Young.