WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE TRADE SCHOOL?
I was working a consistent job as a forklift operator. Through working there, I heard about the opportunities trade schools can offer. I knew I needed to make more, and I wasn’t earning enough driving a forklift. That’s when I started looking for schools in my area.
WHAT MADE YOU LOOK INTO A TRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION?
The main reason I chose truck driving is because I enjoy driving, it’s always the same. The second reason was better earnings. Shortly after I graduated, I started working with my current company, Werner, four months ago. Recently, they offered me a new account within my company and I jumped to roughly $5K a month. Right after graduation, I was earning $4K a month. I was making even less as a forklift operator, bringing home $2K a month. My annual salary went from $25,000 to $60,000 with a simple CDL certification.
HOW DID MIA SHARE HELP WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS?
It was a lot of money upfront and I didn’t have the money to pay, but I knew I needed to do it. While talking with a representative, they told me about their payment options. Mia Share offered me a way to pay my tuition in portions. I didn’t have the money, so I needed an option like Mia Share to get started.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?
In five years, I see myself with a company. I hope to start my trucking company by the end of this year, even though the market is competitive. There’s always a need for more drivers and fleets. Hopefully, in five years, that company will be well developed.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO ATTEND TRADE SCHOOL?
When I told my wife that I wanted to enroll in trucking school, she asked me if I was sure because my English wasn’t good. She worried about losing the money if I didn’t pass the certification exam at the end of the course. Here I am, 6 months later, earning double my salary. I told her I would do my best, but it was what we needed. Don’t be afraid of what people tell you might be hard. It’s always difficult, nothing worth it is ever easy. Just go and do it. Trust me. I had to study hours after school to understand what was going on, but it also helped me develop my English. In the beginning, everything is difficult, but I think it was well worth it.