New Commercial Truck Driving Students May Qualify for Federal Pell Grant Funding

#1343 | February 22, 2013

Savannah Tech selected to participate in U.S. Department of Education study

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education to offer Pell Grant funding to qualified students enrolled in selected short-term certificate programs, like the Commercial Truck Driving program.

Under current regulations, students enrolled in short-term certificate programs are not eligible for Pell Grant funding. This U.S. Department of Education experiment will assist legislators in determining the impact of expanding Pell Grant eligibility for students enrolled in short-term, career-oriented programs.

To be considered for the Pell Grant Experiment, potential students must complete a STC application for admission, be accepted to the Commercial Trucking Driving program, complete the 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, and submit a STC Pell Grant Experiment Consent Form before March 1. Newly admitted students to the STC Commercial Truck Driving program starting March 5 may qualify for Pell Grant funding to assist with tuition and mandatory fees. From the pool of qualified students, the U.S. Department of Education will randomly select participants. [Edited: Application/Experiment has closed.)

The U. S. Department of Labor indicates that in the next decade commercial truck driving is one of many jobs with a predicted 21% increase in positions and an increase in wage earning potential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals base salaries start at approximately $25,000 up to $57,000 annually for those owning their own vehicles (before the mileage and cargo factors).

Savannah Tech’s Commercial Truck Driving program is offered at two campus locations:

• Effingham Campus – The daytime class meets Monday through Thursday for eight weeks from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Liberty Campus – The daytime class meets Monday through Thursday for eight weeks from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The next eight-week day class for Commercial Truck Driving begins March 5 at both the Effingham and Liberty campus locations. New students interested in enrolling in Commercial Truck Driving must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age for interstate travel). For a full list of admission requirements, please visit: savannahtech.edu/IndustrialTechnology or contact the Industrial Technology Academic Advisor at 912.443.5859.

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Commercial Truck Driving, Industrial Technology Academic Advisor:  912.443.5859

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
ashaffer@savannahtech.edu | 912.443.5512