Mountain Gateway Community College and Virginia Western Community College have formalized a partnership aimed at expanding Commercial Driver’s License training and addressing a regional shortage of professional drivers.
An agreement signed Feb. 24 by Mountain Gateway President Dr. John J. Rainone and Virginia Western President Dr. Laura J. Treanor establishes a collaborative program designed to enhance workforce readiness in the Roanoke and Alleghany Highlands regions.
The initiative follows a call from Virginia Community College System Chancellor Dr. David Doré for community colleges to form institutional partnerships that optimize resources and expand high-demand workforce programs.
Under the agreement, Virginia Western students will have access to Mountain Gateway’s established CDL curriculum and instructors. The program will use a hybrid format, allowing students to complete self paced coursework online while receiving behind-the-wheel instruction based in the Roanoke region.
Mountain Gateway will provide oversight for the Class A CDL tractor-trailer licensure program, including instructors and curriculum management. Qualifying Virginia residents may be eligible for state funded grants to help cover program costs.
Mountain Gateway officials said the partnership builds on the college’s experience providing customized CDL training for public-sector entities in the Alleghany Highlands, including municipal and state agencies.
The collaboration comes as the region faces a shortage of professional drivers. According to the National Transportation Institute, the average age of a professional driver is 54, with more than 300,000 drivers sidelined annually because of retirement or health issues.
Lightcast data shows professional drivers earn a median annual salary of $52,868.
“The CDL program partnership with Mountain Gateway Community College is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together to serve our students and our industry partners,” Treanor said in a statement. “Together, we are providing a fast track to stable, high-paying careers for our residents and meeting the urgent hiring needs of the Roanoke workforce.”
Rainone said the partnership also reflects an effort to streamline use of state educational resources.
“By collaborating across college lines, we are maximizing the commonwealth’s investment while providing a direct pipeline to high-wage careers,” Rainone said. “Our expertise in CDL instruction, combined with Virginia Western’s local reach, creates a seamless pathway for students to enter a critical industry.”
Enrollment is open for a cohort beginning March 12 at Virginia Western. Registration will remain open through March 5 or until the class is full. Additional start dates will be offered monthly throughout the year.
In the Alleghany Highlands and Rockbridge County regions, students and organizations interested in CDL training may contact Mountain Gateway’s Workforce Solutions team at 540-863-2899 or rjennings@mgcc.edu.
In the Roanoke region, prospective students may visit the Enrollment Center in Chapman Hall, email enroll@virginiawestern.edu or call 855-874-8890 for more information.
-The Salem Times-Register
