VA Apprenticeship

So maybe it's me, but all my searching on here I haven't been able to find any information about companies and the apprenticeship program that's recent. Seems like everything is 3-4 year old posts. My question is has anyone gone through any of the companies that offer the apprenticeship program within the last year? I'm currently in school and they are pushing Werner and schneider really hard! I've been really looking into jim palmer/wiltrans as well because of the regional and home time. Being prior service I don't trust recruiters and sure as heck not trusting a school who is pushing 2 companies that have crap plastered all over their walls and training trucks.. Guess I'm just looking for info on companies and current experience and recommendations. Thanks in advance.

why not Schneider or Werner? Just curious

Thanks for the replies everyone.. I guess I worded it wrong when I asked. I guess what I meant to ask is who is using the apprenticeship with what company currently?

Josh

Are you looking for VA rehab training? If so, look at the VA homepage, and they will give in the in's and out's. I have been on here for the better part of 6 months as I wait for my medical retirement to finish. While I am going to be over the cutoff % to qualify for VA Rehab Training, I wouldn't use it for this since the best avenue is the paid CDL training that Brett mentioned.

Best of luck Chris

Yeah, I am looking into it. I'm using my gi bill for school right now. In fact I just took my permit test yesterday and passed everything I took. My friend has told me about voc rehab as well as the Pel Grant you can get. He told me there is something else you can get because being medically discharged instead of retired after 20 I just can't remember what he said. Hes currently working for TMC using it all and loves it. I wanted to go with TMC but they won't hire me where I live.

Beyond the resources here, I would check the company sites.

Jim Palmer Veterans

Wil-Trans Veterans (identical)

Or, the dept. of Labor

Post 9/11 GI Bill Apprenticeship Program

Or the VA (though I might trust a recruiter more than the VA)

VA Post 9/11 Apprenticeship Program

The trucking company has nothing to do with the program, the program is simply that the VA pays you while you train, from my limited reading. Though in any case, the GI Bill is paying and administering the program, the trucking company has nothing to do with it, beyond being willing to participate.

Call the company and talk directly to their recruiter. They have no reason to lie, but still, ask them to email you everything. That way it is in writing. Their goal is to get and retain drivers. If they lie, you will simply leave, and the company will have invested all that money in you for nothing. It isn't like the military, where once you are in you are stuck. If you decide to leave the company, you will have to pay for school, but they won't be sending MPs to chase you down. Though, to be fair, my recruiter never lied to me, the Marines was exactly what he said it would be.

I have been looking really hard at Jim Palmer/wiltrans.. The only thing is even though will have graduated school and come to them with my class A, you still have to sign a year contract. I'm no just not sure I want to sign one. As far as other companies, I can name 4 that I contacted and soon as I fill out an application the recruiters disappear. I have emails I can show to prove it. Steven's, Roehl, Decker, Werner all did it to me. The two different recruiters from Steven's were so rude to me I left a review on Facebook with my experience, Theey deleted my review and blocked me lol. So eventually I'll find something. The only company that has stepped up with everything has been Jim palmer. Also after getting on their Facebook page and talking to a few employees it does sound like a good company. I guess I'm just frustrated because the companies I really wanted to go with all stopped responding to me once they got the info they wanted. Not sure I want to work for someone like that.

SAP:

Substance Abuse Professional

The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

Wil-Trans:

Darrel Wilson bought his first tractor in 1980 at age 20, but, being too young to meet OTR age requirements, he leased the truck out and hired a driver.

Through growth and acquisition, Wil-Trans now employs over 200 drivers, and has a long-standing partnership with Prime, Inc. to haul their refrigerated freight. The family of businesses also includes Jim Palmer Trucking and O & S Trucking.

If I may, out of curiosity what led to Stevens being rude? Also you said you were in direct contact with all 4 companies at some point? What info was given before they bailed?

So maybe it's me, but all my searching on here I haven't been able to find any information about companies and the apprenticeship program that's recent. Seems like everything is 3-4 year old posts. My question is has anyone gone through any of the companies that offer the apprenticeship program within the last year? I'm currently in school and they are pushing Werner and schneider really hard! I've been really looking into jim palmer/wiltrans as well because of the regional and home time. Being prior service I don't trust recruiters and sure as heck not trusting a school who is pushing 2 companies that have crap plastered all over their walls and training trucks.. Guess I'm just looking for info on companies and current experience and recommendations. Thanks in advance.

why not Schneider or Werner? Just curious

Because their home time isn't what I want. They are all telling me 17-21 days out and 2 home.. not what I wanna do..

If I may, out of curiosity what led to Stevens being rude? Also you said you were in direct contact with all 4 companies at some point? What info was given before they bailed?

So I was dealing with sholanda lacy. Did everything she asked of me, did he completed application, told her when my school started here locally in az etc. Everything was good, she was emailing me and calling me then poof she was gone. Stopped returning my emails, calls and to this day haven't heard back from her after multiple calls and emails. I then called into them and told them my situation, was told another recruiter would reach out to me. The recruiters name was josie. Right off the bad she had a ****ty attitude then told me that my application wasn't complete even though I had confirmation from sholanda it was. She then proceeded to talk to me like I was an idiot when I questioned my application and the stuff i had been told by sholanda. She then told me that she didn't think I was cut out to be a trucker and maybe I should do something else. I told her If this is the way she talks to possible recruits I don't want anything to do with the company.. I don't have thin skin and spent 11 years as an infantryman, but I couldn't believe the way she talked to me especially after being dropped like a bad habit out of the blue from sholanda. I left sent a message to then on Facebook asking for another recruiter to contact me, and was blocked from their Facebook page. Anyone wants proof of this I have all the emails and screenshots of conversations.

As far as the other the other companies I filled out completed applications and even with decker they had me do these safety things online, 3 of them to be exact and boom they all just disappeared. Won't return my emails, calls or anything. I have my background report from 3 of the companies that was emailed to me.. I'm not a felon or anything, no tickets, have over 17 years of provable work history, also a veteran. It just blows my mind,that these companies just disappear after they get your info.. I mean if this is how they treat people applying for a job, how do they treat their employees?? I actually reached out to Schneiders military recruiting and their recruiter was a fellow infantryman that served is some of the same areas I was in Iraq right after we left! We talked for about 45 mins sharing war stories lol, small world. But between Schneider and jim palmer they have been the only ones that seem interested and have consistently followed up after I applied and I didn't even fully apply with Schneider.

Hey Josh, listen, the recruiting process isn't something you should take personally at all. Every company has their own criteria for choosing drivers, and you'll never really know or understand what it is. No one really does. Quite honestly, some of it doesn't always make sense. So look at it as a numbers game. Apply to a bunch of companies, see who offers you an opportunity, and go with the company you feel suits you best.

Also, please keep something very important in mind. The recruiters work for their company, but do not project your experience with them as meaning more than it does. There are a ton of recruiters, and they're human like we are. Some are good at what they do, some aren't. They have good days and bad days. Don't worry about any of that. All you want to know is whether or not the company is willing to hire you. If not, then forget about it and move on to the others.

Read this article I wrote: The Biggest Mistake New Drivers Make When Speaking With Recruiters.

Also, keep in mind that attitude really is everything. Something like 95% of the people who take a shot at this industry don't last a year. These companies are looking for people who seem serious about making this career happen. If you give them attitude, they're going to figure you're not worth the trouble because you're not going to be one of the 5% that are really successful in this industry.

People hear that drivers are in demand and they think they're going to be treated like high rollers in Vegas. Knuckleheads off the street aren't in demand. Proven professional drivers that are safe and efficient are in demand. It's your job as a new driver to prove you're capable of being that good. Once you can prove you're that good you'll be treated great and you'll be making top wage. But until you demonstrate to them that you can make it in this industry, they're going to assume you're just one of the 95% that won't be around long.

That's the reality of it.

Hey Josh, listen, the recruiting process isn't something you should take personally at all. Every company has their own criteria for choosing drivers, and you'll never really know or understand what it is. No one really does. Quite honestly, some of it doesn't always make sense. So look at it as a numbers game. Apply to a bunch of companies, see who offers you an opportunity, and go with the company you feel suits you best.

Also, please keep something very important in mind. The recruiters work for their company, but do not project your experience with them as meaning more than it does. There are a ton of recruiters, and they're human like we are. Some are good at what they do, some aren't. They have good days and bad days. Don't worry about any of that. All you want to know is whether or not the company is willing to hire you. If not, then forget about it and move on to the others.

Read this article I wrote: The Biggest Mistake New Drivers Make When Speaking With Recruiters.

Also, keep in mind that attitude really is everything. Something like 95% of the people who take a shot at this industry don't last a year. These companies are looking for people who seem serious about making this career happen. If you give them attitude, they're going to figure you're not worth the trouble because you're not going to be one of the 5% that are really successful in this industry.

People hear that drivers are in demand and they think they're going to be treated like high rollers in Vegas. Knuckleheads off the street aren't in demand. Proven professional drivers that are safe and efficient are in demand. It's your job as a new driver to prove you're capable of being that good. Once you can prove you're that good you'll be treated great and you'll be making top wage. But until you demonstrate to them that you can make it in this industry, they're going to assume you're just one of the 95% that won't be around long.

That's the reality of it.

I get what you are saying. But I'm not that guy. I don't do things half assed, and I'm a man of my word. I treat everyone with respect until they give me a reason not too. It's just pretty crappy when I put 110% into something and don't get the same in return. My point is how are you supposed to know if I'm going to be in the 5% you talk about if you won't give me the time of day. I didn't waste any of these recruiters time but they sure wasted mine. Not even decent enough to say hey, you aren't what we are looking for. Like i said I don't have thin skin by any means, but if you woulda heard the things said to me and the way i was talked to by josie at Steven's you would be appalled. I understand that I'm a nobody and won't be anybody until I prove myself. I understand putting in your time and proving yourself. I wouldn't have started this career path if I didn't think I could hack it. I just passed all my permit tests to include every endorsement with 100% across the board on every test. The more I try with these megas the more I realize all the crap you read about them is true.. no wonder the turn over rate is so high, they treat everyone like crap. Thank goodness I was able to find a local company that would hire me right out of school.

When you say “Thank goodness I found a local company...,” do you mean you found a company hiring in your area to do the regional work you were looking for, or you found a local company that is hiring you for local driving?