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WSCC News is a presentation of West Shore Community College in partnership with Mason County Press.
VICTORY TOWNSHIP — West Shore Community College has announced a partnership with Pinnacle Truck Driver Training, a professional truck driving school offering commercial driver’s license (CDL) training programs located in Cadillac, Michigan.
Pinnacle has been in business for a decade and recently has been exploring expansion opportunities on the west side of Michigan. The company covers all aspects of commercial driving over the road (OTR) including flatbed and simulator training, and works to ensure its drivers are qualified to handle any situation. It has the ability to provide a diverse fleet of vehicles suitable for hands-on training, reflective of industry standards and requirements.
Due to the national shortage of professional truck drivers, WSCC has received extensive feedback from business and industry requesting CDL training. The collaboration with Pinnacle is an opportunity for a seasoned company to provide the training locally at the WSCC campus. A driving pad will be built on the east side of the main campus property on Amber Road. Other WSCC programs will also be using a portion of the facility for law enforcement vehicle and ambulance driver training, in additional to local school districts utilizing the area for bus driver training and certification.
As part of the training, students will initially learn how to drive a truck with a driving simulator, which WSCC has purchased and will be located at the Riemer Regional Public Safety Training Center.
“The partnership with Pinnacle answers several needs across our region including emergency vehicle training as well as bus driver certification, providing a solution to training and staffing shortages across multiple facets including truck driving,” said WSCC President Scott Ward. “Pinnacle’s high standards and excellent record align with the college’s requirements and mission.”
Pinnacle partners with several organizations to assist with training costs on behalf of its students. Michigan Works! has assisted almost 50% of Pinnacle’s students with funding. It has a veterans’ affairs school certifying official who can assist veterans in navigating Veterans’ Administration benefits. Pinnacle also works with lenders that work with a wide range of credit scores and offer numerous options for students. In addition, it works with OTR trucking companies including Schneider, NTB, Swift and ALTL to place its students.
“Pinnacle has helped well over 1,000 students obtain their CDL-A and CDL-B with a 93% pass rate,” said Tim Baker, Pinnacle founder and president. “Any student who is qualified and wants a job, we will help get them one. The collaboration with WSCC came about in a way that aligned with all of our goals. We are excited to expand our training in the area.”
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