Job hunters may want to think about a career behind the wheel. Truck drivers are in high demand these days.
Last Sunday's newspaper had 18 job listings for truck driver.
"That's about it," says Jim Irons, "Driving and medical. That's all there is. Everything else is pretty much gone."
Jim Irons is enrolled in a truck driving program through Virginia Western Community College. It's a three week class.
This week students are practicing turns and backing up in a tractor trailer in the parking lot of the Salem Civic Center. It's not as easy as it may look. Reverse is the biggest challenge.
"You gotta turn the wheel the opposite way from where you wanna go to make the trailer swing and it's hard to know exactly how much to swing it," says Irons.
Truck driving can be dangerous and it often keeps people on the road for weeks. But students say the pay is good and they need a job.
"The money, support my family better, I always enjoyed driving," says Irons.
A truck driver can make about $35,000 the first year. Wes Worrell was recently laid off from his job. He hopes to get his commercial license and one day have his own truck.
"It'd be owning your own business," says Worrell, "I've talked to several truck drivers. Some guys that are owner/operators and they're making $150, $160,000 a year."
The truck driving program at VWCC started in January and already 48 students have taken the class and passed.
The program costs $3,700.
