HCHS students gain access to CDL simulator at IWCC

HARLAN — Backing up a 53-foot trailer semi truck is no easy task, but thanks to a new CDL simulator at Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), this skill is now more accessible for aspiring drivers. Funded by an Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRC) Grant obtained by Harlan Community High School, the CDL simulator was installed at the end of September at IWCC. The simulator will enhance the current CDL training program at the college, and a future class for high school students is in the works to expand the program to reach younger, eligible drivers. This initiative not only broadens students’ options but also addresses workforce demands, creating a win-win for both students and employers.
Lori Stitz, Director of IWCC Shelby County & Buss Regional Centers, highlighted the current shortage of qualified drivers for the many trucking jobs in southwest Iowa. On October 21, IWCC will begin its third round of CDL program training at the Harlan location. The program is offered as a four-week course. Within that time frame, participants complete theory work before moving on to hands-on training in a real semi-truck with an instructor. Students log hours and, once ready, are cleared by the instructor to take the certification test to receive their commercial license.
“Truck driver training programs can be expensive, but at Iowa Western Community College we are able to help many individuals with financial assistance to help pay for the training. Our goal is to increase the number of licensed drivers, benefiting local businesses. By creating a path to obtain a commercial driver’s license, we provide opportunities for well-paying jobs while addressing the labor shortage,” Stitz explained.
Panama Transfer was the first business that donated a semi truck trailer to IWCC when it first started offering a CDL training program in Council Bluffs in 2022. Now, six semis are circulated for these training programs across the IWCC campuses. Companies continue to work with the schools, looking forward to the outcomes of exceptional training.
Discussions between IWCC and the high school are ongoing, with the goal of creating a pathway for high school students by the 2025 spring semester. Students who are 17 years old would be eligible to take the CDL theory course and use the simulator. Logistics are still being worked out, as only students aged 18 and older can drive the semi trucks to clock the needed hours prior to the testing.
Casey Ring, Harlan High School Principal, stated, “The benefit of the simulator, especially for young kids who are learning, is that the wear and tear is not put on an actual vehicle. They can go through and practice and wreck it without injuring themselves or someone. We now have access to an industry simulator, which is what the big companies that are training people are purchasing.”
With nearly 60 different objectives, including training instructions and simulation tasks, trainees can experience realistic scenarios and learn essential safety skills. Included in the IRC Grant, were five programs of various truck and tractor types, sizes, and settings. The selected vehicle loads onto the three-screen simulator in front of the trainee. The instructor’s screen records the simulation, provides task scoring, and shows various views, including the student’s face, an aerial view of the truck, the review mirrors, and other monitoring options.
Kyleigh Kumm, STEM and Technology Integrationist at HCSD, noted, “If you have logged the hours on the simulator and passed each of them, the rate is a 1:1 ratio for success in the truck.”
Kumm applied for the IRC Grant, which funded the equipment, installation, training, and ongoing IT support. Down the line, the schools consider the possibility of purchasing additional programs, such as school bus, ambulance, and harvester training modules.
In the upcoming general election on November 5th, Shelby County voters can vote ‘yes’ to the Iowa Western’s 2024 Bond Referendum which offers an opportunity to expand vital programs like this one. IWCC would use part of the funding to build a state-of-the-art transportation facility that will enhance the Diesel and Automotive Technology programs, expand CDL training, and introduce logistics training—helping students gain the skills needed for a successful future while meeting industry demands.
Schools nurture and develop capable, well-trained individuals who fill the essential roles that all keep our communities moving. Investing in our schools means making the journey from point A to point B smarter, safer, and with fewer bumps, and maybe crashes, along the way.