Louisiana Supports Free CDL Training for 20 Black Men
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South Louisiana Community College is partnering with a state agency and the governor’s office to launch a commercial driver license training program to open truck driving career paths for Black men.
The new training program, called Driving Louisiana Forward, will provide financial support and hands-on training for 20 Black men to find work in high-demand, well-paying trucking careers.
“Driving Louisiana Forward is about empowering individuals with the training they need to enter stable, well-paying careers,” noted Tiffany Howard, interim vice president of economic and workforce development and continuing education at South Louisiana Community College. “At SoLAcc, we believe in breaking down barriers to opportunity, and this partnership enables us to drive positive change by providing vital skills and support for Black men in our community.”
Other partners in the new CDL training program are Gov. Jeff Landry’s Office of the Governor’s Success Council and the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
South Louisiana Community College (SoLAcc), in partnership with the Office of the Governor’s Success Council and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), proudly announces the launch of Driving Louisiana Forward. pic.twitter.com/qZFjq9oPkn — Louisiana Workforce Commission (@LouisianaWorks) December 10, 2024
The Governor’s Success Council has allocated $56,500 to pay tuition costs for 20 program participants, who will be trained at the community college through next September.
The aspiring truck drivers will also receive assistance after they graduate from the Louisiana Workforce Commission to help them bridge the gap from training into long-term employment. The commission will work with the successful CDL program graduates to help them find professional driving jobs.
“Driving Louisiana Forward is an unprecedented partnership with SoLAcc, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and the governor’s office to create opportunities and empower our workforce,” said Chandler Vidrine, executive director of the Governor’s Success Council. “This program goes beyond CDL training — it breaks barriers, closes gaps, and builds a skilled workforce that represents Louisiana’s full potential.”
The CDL training program includes 245 hours of classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. Final skills tests must be passed for CDL candidates to receive a state license administered by SoLAcc’s state-approved examiners. Successful students who obtain their state CDLs will be qualified to get jobs to drive tractor-trailers, dump trucks, tow trucks, delivery trucks, tanker trucks and flatbed trucks.
Annual salaries in Louisiana can range from $44,740 for industrial truck and tractor operators to $49,780 for heavy/tractor-trailer truck drivers.
On Dec. 20, the state Workforce Commission noted it had helped add 20,600 jobs so far in 2024 to help boost the state’s economy.
Susana Schowen, secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, said, “By assisting economic development efforts and supporting job seekers, we are building a dynamic workforce that drives economic growth and enhances opportunities for communities across the state.”
A 2024 Louisiana Workforce Development Report estimated that Louisiana had 25,011 heavy truck drivers employed there in 2022 and projected that number to grow to 26,314 by 2032.
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