California high school truck driver program addresses shortage annihilating supply chain
Patterson High School training next generation of truck drivers
California high school students ‘set up for success’ with truck driving training program
Patterson High School teacher Dave Dein and graduate Leilani Barradas explain how the program prepares students for trucking jobs amid a driver shortage.
One high school is taking the wheel and training the next generation of truck drivers to help with the nation's crippling supply chain crisis.
Patterson High School in California introduced a supply chain and logistics program to senior students, offering truck driving certification upon graduation as well as other trade skills training.
"I think it really does open up a new door for us and it sets us up for success," program graduate Leilani Barradas told FOX Business’ Kelly O’Grady.
The truck driver shortage hit a record high with 80,000 positions needing to be filled, according to the American Trucking Association.
TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE HITS RECORD HIGH, THREATENING TO HURT HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Prior to March 2020, it reported a shortage of 60,000 drivers.
Dave Dein, a teacher at Patterson and founder of the program, said he wanted to do something proactive amid the labor shortage, now exacerbated by a supply crunch.
Patterson High School student
"We started the program five years ago, really creating a sustainable long-term pipeline for the industry of well, young-trained talent," Dein explained.
Barradas said the program felt different from a traditional training school.
"We work with students to learn who they are as individuals, that way we know that we're sending out responsible drivers," she noted.
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California high school creates truck driver training program to help fix supply chain crisis
FOX Business' Kelly O'Grady visits Patterson High School where students can enroll in a training program which could help mitigate a truck driver shortage.
Dein turned the program into a nonprofit called the Next Generation in Trucking Association, with the goal to institute the same training in other U.S. high schools.
"It doesn't matter whether you're 18 or 35," Barradas said. "What matters is who taught you and what skills were kind of instilled in that."