The Wheeling and Weirton campuses have new high-tech training equipment to help CDL program students prepare for their exams.
Thanks in part to the Office of Governor Jim Justice, Senator Joe Manchin, and the West Virginia Community & Technical College System, West Virginia Northern Community College has been able to provide its CDL program students with new, enhanced simulation technology at two of its campuses.
According to an article on West Virginia Northern Community College’s website, Dr. Daniel Mosser, who is the president of the college, said of the new equipment, “The CDL simulators represent a major investment by the state in the future of its students and the trucking industry in the region and we are grateful to have two at WVNCC. With an increasing demand for well-trained truck drivers, these simulators will enable WVNCC to offer cutting-edge training that meets the industry's evolving needs.”
These new simulations, which will be housed in new Simulation Labs at the Wheeling and Weirton campuses, will help students be able to prepare better and receive more in-depth training as they practice their skills to be able to pass CDL exams and move on to their careers. Looking not dissimilar to a driving game in an arcade, the simulations will give students the opportunity to practice potentially risky maneuvers, like driving in bad weather and emergency maneuvers, in a safer environment.
Another positive for the students is that they will receive immediate, real-time feedback on their driving skills from the simulators, helping them figure out what practical skills they need to get better at before testing. Needing to be on the road to practice these skills less than before will also have a positive impact on the environment.
The Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at West Virginia Northern Community College, Dr. Phil Klein, commented on his hopes for the future of CDL students, saying, "We are committed to providing the best education possible to our students, and the addition of these CDL simulators is a testament to that commitment. We are confident that this technology will enhance our training and better prepare our students for successful careers in trucking."
The next opportunity to enroll in CDL courses at West Virginia Northern Community College comes in January for the Wheeling campus and February for the Weirton campus.
For more information about West Virginia Northern Community College, visit the school’s website.