Truck Driving School Grants – When it comes to finding a job that allows you to travel, becoming a truck driver is one of them. However, you can’t just become a truck driver without some proper training or education, which is why many truck driving schools are established. One problem remains: how will you fund your training? Is there any grant for truck driving school available?
Of course, there are some available options to help you cover the tuition fees! This time we will provide some info related to the grants or scholarships, along with other alternatives to cover the truck driving school tuition, which is often known as the CDL training.
By having proper training and education, you are opening doors to more opportunities and ultimately adding more cash to your family’s finance, especially because you will have a better bargaining position when it comes to wages. There may be some truck driving companies that are willing to hire those without experience and education, but almost all of them would prefer drivers with a good track record of training, etc. Hence, getting an education at a truck driving school is a good investment, especially if you’re considering making truck driving your career choice.
Government Grants for Truck Driving School
There are actually several government grant programs that you can use to help you cover the cost of truck driving school. Two of the most popular ones are:
Federal Pell Grant
Many people consider that the Federal Pell Grant program is only available for undergraduate students. Well, that is not necessarily true. If you study at a federally-recognized truck driving school, you should be eligible to apply for the Pell Grant. The amount received varies for each student, and it is determined using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA should be completed online, and from there you will see if you are eligible or not, and how much money the government will give you.
Another main reason why you should complete your FAFSA is the fact that the Pell Grant awardees often receive other forms of financial aid, be it grants, scholarships, etc. Many of these financial aids are preferably given to Pell Grant awardees.
Grants from Workforce Investment Act and Trade Adjustment Assistance
This one is a program offered by the government for people working in various industry fields. The financial aid program under the WIA is only given to people with financial need that are struggling to get an education for a better career. Those who apply for financial aid will go through two reviewing phases.
Meanwhile, the Trade Adjustment Assistance is a similar program to the WIA grant, but with a different target. This one is available for the unemployed (caused by foreign competition) who are looking for a job.
The amount of grant money varies for each person. Contact your local or state’s job office center for more information on the opening and deadline for the application submission. It is important to remember that the program uses the first-come-first-served system, so apply as early as possible.
Other Options
There are several other options you can try. First off, there are specific State-based programs that may be able to help to cover the tuition fee for the truck driving school. Ask your state’s agency responsible for the workforce or education for more information. There are also minority grants available from various sources, so if you are a descendant of Mexico or Native American, please search for your local organization related to that.
Last but not least, you can try the company contract training. This serves as your last resort if you can’t find grants for the CDL training. While it is true that you can get free or cheap CDL training, there are some things you must understand. First off, you need to honor the contract (failure to do so means that you’ll have to pay back the tuition). Second, the company will require you to work for them for a while (at least one year) with a lower wage than your normal coworkers. Third, some irresponsible companies may list the tuition fees much higher than it really is. With that in mind, you should always be careful and do your research beforehand.
I hope you find your state funding for truck driving school soon!
References:
- U.S. Department of Education – http://www.ed.gov/
- California’s Eligible Training Provider List – http://www.edd.ca.gov/jobs_and_training/Eligible_Training_Provider_List.htm
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