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Career Colleges » Illinois » Trades and Careers » Transportation and Trucking
Illinois Trucking Degrees
Trucking Degrees: Illinois Colleges
Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Illinois offering Transportation and Trucking degrees. Transportation degrees or truck driver training can lead to a multitude of career options. With the skills you learn through transportation courses, you can coordinate, direct, or plan transportation.
Attending an Illinois college means close proximity to fascinating Chicago, a cosmopolitan city with a strong arts scene, great restaurants, and lots of affordable housing. It's also a great town for sports fans, with many world-class teams. There are also extensive stretches of rural land in Illinois, offering opportunities for hiking and fishing. And the Great Lakes provide a wonderful setting for boating, water-skiing, or simply long, thoughtful walks along the shore.Illinois Colleges: Trucking Degrees
Trucking school gets you on the road
Does the idea of making a living behind the wheel of a 26,000-pound truck appeal to you? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job forecast for truck drivers--especially long-haul drivers--is looking good. Furthermore, getting started may not be as hard as you think.
- A commercial drivers license is the most important qualification for becoming a truck driver.
- You will need to take a driver training course to prepare yourself for CDL testing. Check with your local vocational or technical school for CDL training courses. (Before you sign up, make sure your course is properly accredited).
- If money is an issue, check with your local independent trucking companies. Some may offer free training programs or tuition reimbursement programs. Trucking school loans are also available through the federal government.
From driver training to driving jobs
Once your CDL training is done, you can take heart from the latest job estimates. BLS estimates 232,900 new tractor-trailer and heavy truck driving jobs between 2008 and 2018.
You can also expect higher wages than jobs that require no training and licensing: $41,100 annually on average for heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers (according to BLS 2010 wage report). CareerOneStop reports that 10% of these drivers earn over $57,000 per year.
Travel far from home, hours of solitude, and the physical demands of unloading materials make for a challenging lifestyle. Then again, truck driving just might offer the freedom, adventure, and money you're looking for.
Mary Thomas
