NCC CDL Instructor Jeremy Sprock
Sheldon, Iowa — Officials with Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) in Sheldon tell us that NCC and ten other community colleges have received a grant from the State of Iowa of a combined $4.8 million, which will provide an opportunity to support CDL programs at these community colleges.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said, “Here in Iowa, we need to do everything we can to help get more skilled, qualified drivers on the road — and that work has to include easing the pathway to a CDL.”
The $301,000 grant allows NCC to build and purchase CDL training infrastructure, which, they say, will allow future students to obtain their CDL licensure. NCC officials tell us that with this grant, a new storage building will be constructed, and two truck-trailer semi combinations and a bus will be purchased. NCC will add testing for a CDL permit which will make NCC a fully accredited license testing center, which will allow for NCC to train 80 additional students annually for a full CDL licensure.
They tell us that their Director of Workforce and Economic Development, Jason Anderson, has been working to get all required documents gathered and put together plans for what the future of the CDL department is going to look like. They say that allowing these upgrades will provide students to have a “one-stop-shop,” where they will be able to test for permits, take the course, and test to become certified.
A new instructor has already been hired to help train these future students. Jeremy Sprock, a Rock Rapids native, has joined the NCC team as the CDL Trainer/Examiner. College officials say Sprock is a valuable new addition to the staff as he has previous experience driving truck for the Lyon County Secondary Roads, and was also the Transportation Director at George-Little Rock and Central Lyon for the last 18 years. Sprock plans to become DOT certified, which will enable him to provide Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) training to future students.
Sprock says, “I am thrilled to be able to extend services throughout the area and make it easier for employers to have staff who are licensed CDL employees working for them.”
The new building is already in the early construction stages and will be located south of Building C on NCC’s campus, next to parking lot 2, where current CDL training takes place. By the beginning of January, NCC will be a fully-licensed testing center, with expectations of growing their numbers. Anderson has hopes that the program will be fully equipped and ready to go by the start of the summer of 2025.
They say it will make getting a CDL much faster and easier, plus the cost is reasonable and there is financial aid available for those who qualify.
Click here to register and for more information: https://nwicc.edu/events/cdl-training-and-testing-options
