BRAMPTON, Ont. — Potential students of triOS College’s new Professional Transport Operator program were treated to a candid discussion covering the ins and outs of a career in trucking at a pair of career fairs this week. The Trucking Career Expo, which took place at the college’s Brampton and Oshawa campuses Feb. 12 and 13, respectively, was delivered in partnership with the Ontario Truck Training Academy and featured a panel of fleet representatives from across the province. Carrier representatives included Don Anderson Haulage, Kriska Transportation, SGT and TST Truckload Express.

Topics covered by the panel ranged from pay/benefit expectations, internships and apprenticeships, driver training, and the recruitment process itself.

“We hosted a trucking expo to attract new people to the trucking industry, especially to our trucking carrier partners,” said Frank Gerencser, chairman and CEO of triOS College. “We also wanted to formally launch our new Professional Transport Operator program – the first of its kind in Canada. PTO includes all eight weeks of the standard AZ Tractor Trailer program as well as the first half of [triOS College’s] Supply Chain and Logistics program and a four-month internship working in a trucking company.” 

The packed event attracted close to 70 attendees and allowed for the would-be truckers to speak one-on-one with carrier reps at length after the panel.

Gerencser pointed to the rise in “fly-by-night illegal trainers” trying to take advantage of a “systemic shortfall in qualified drivers” as one of the main reasons for the importance of partnerships between carriers and training institutions.

“Quality trucking companies hire quality drivers (new and experienced). The key to success in the trucking industry is to build partnerships with quality truck training schools like triOS College, Ontario Truck Training Academy and other TTSAO and PTDI members. Schools like ours deliver properly trained new AZ drivers who can become valuable parts of the carriers driving teams.”

trios College’s Professional Transport Operator course is offered in a 40-week diploma/internship program and a 25-week diploma-only program. The program combines supply chain and logistics education with hands-on tractor-trailer operations. For more information on the program, visit triOS College’s Web site here.

Truck News also spoke with representatives from the fleet panel about hiring trends they’re seeing in the trucking industry. Watch for the full story in an upcoming issue of Truck News as well as video clips from the interviews in a future episode of TMTV On the Road at youtube.com/transportmatters.