Eight students recently graduated from Western Dakota Technical (WDT) College's Professional Truck Driving Program. These graduates will help fill the high and projected increasing need for truck drivers.
The Class A Truck Driving Program graduates, and their hometowns, are:
Class A (six-week course)
- David Darnell, Jr. – Rapid City
- Kaleb Eatherton – Keystone
- David Grant – Rapid City
- Damian Hopfauf – Rapid City
- Arthur “Jason” Jones – Rapid City
- Robert Knutson – Rapid City
- Eugene Robinson – Rapid City
In a South Dakota Department of Labor May 2021 Top 30 Hot Careers report, the top "Hot Career" listed is "Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers". The list is based on factors including "above-average projected openings" and "an average/mean wage greater than the median wage across all occupations in 2019". The S.D. DOL projects annual openings for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, from 2018-2028, to be 1,100. The average annual wage in 2021 was $47,640.
The next Class A course starting June 6 is full.
Those interested in the program are encouraged to apply now for the class starting August 22. Course info is available at wdt.edu/TruckDriving. As enrollment is limited, and the program fills quickly, call the Corporate Education Center at (605) 718-2410, or email corped@wdt.edu, ASAP
Western Dakota Technical College's Corporate Education Center offers short-term classes, custom training, events, seminars, career programs, and more to help companies train employees and help students be successful in new and current careers. For more information, visit https://www.wdt.edu/corporate-education-center.
PHOTO CUTLINE:
Recent Western Dakota Technical College Professional Truck Driving Class A graduates include, L-R: Robert Knutson, Kaleb Eatherton, David Grant, Damian Hopfauf, Jason Jones, and Eugene Robinson. David Darnell, Jr., not pictured and one graduate declined to be named/photographed.
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About Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) was established in 1968 and is the only technical college serving the western South Dakota region
WDTC offers more than 40 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction and Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Technologies, Health Sciences, Legal and Public Services, and Transportation Technologies.
Ninety-nine percent of Western Dakota Tech's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or are enlisted in the military. [*Placement information is derived from graduate surveys, faculty-collected data, placement surveys started six months after graduation, and the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation. Overall placement rate is figured by: (responding graduates employed, continuing education, or in military service)/(responding graduates who are seeking employment). The number of program graduates are unduplicated by CIP code.]
Western Dakota Technical College faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, Western Dakota Tech students graduate ready to make a real and immediate contribution to their employers and to their communities.
For information about WDTC, call (800) 544-8765 or (605) 718-2565 or send an email to Admissions@wdt.edu. Visit us on the web at wdt.edu.
