Week 2 Day 5

I'm kinda venting right now but honestly I'm upset. I'm upset that International Trucking School essentially is using my class as a testing run. Generally they have 5 students to instructors this last week we combined another class with ours which was already at a 12 students. One of our four instructors became ill, another i found out was being trained.

So we effectively had two instructors these last three days. On top of that one instructor had 12 students while the other instructor/s had only four. Our instructor started making quick field trips to the testing site. In the mean time we had a truck going on the track practicing clutching. And another truck doing offset backing. All students by themselves. By themselves.... by themselves. I decided to just practice clutching, along with another driver. While the other students helped each other try to learn something they're learning themselves...

I called out the other instructor. He couldn't even look me in the eye. I'm young. Sometimes I'm passionate. But I'm respectful. I've had friends go through the school and they all left there with positive reviews. And i understand that the school can't predict when someone may become sick. But after waiting two months for WIA to fund me. I'm very serious about being the best driver i can become. And i don't think YouTube or even this site should be my main learning device. Hopefully things straighten out.

I went through WIA too and I valued my training the way you are right now. It's a privilege and a great opportunity to launch your life forward a little bit. I understand. As I'm finding out, this kind of thing happens and it sucks. What I learned from this kind of thing is that, number one, you have to show flexibility because this profession requires it, anyway. The other thing I learned is that when training is insufficient, half of that is there fault and half of it is yours. In other words, they're scrambling to keep up but you have to find a way to advocate for yourself in the most positive, proactive way possible. That means while this crud is going on, you have to communicate clearly, what you need help with so that you feel prepared when the time comes for testing. If you can't get this through after communicating directly with your instructor(s), you have to carefully go over his head and speak with the next level up and make sure you get the training you deserve. Kindly and deftly remind a supervisor that you worked hard to go through WIA to get here and that you're serious about doing as well as possible.

Also, get back with your case worker where you got your funding approved and use his or her guidance. It's their job to help you through this as well. They are supposed to guide you through your whole first year, even after you get a job because that's how their program succeeds. This is the time to tap into all the resources you have available to you and to do everything in your power to set yourself up for success. Do this as best you can with calm professionalism. A lot of times, trucking requires ingenuity to get the job done, so now's your chance to practice that ingenuity. Good luck and continue to advocate for yourself because this is a little bit about you, right now.

Use all the resources and links on this website as you have time to, as well. We're all here to help so stay in touch. Vent all you want to us and let them see your most positive, mature, professional, working attitude possible out there...

We got your back, here.

-mountain girl

Spelling correction: "...their fault" not "there fault" Gawd, I hate it when I do that.

-mountain girl

I told the instructors the day before yesterday i wasn't comfortable about the vsi. And they said we would go over it, but we never did. Early today i split from my school and went to the other. The other students were happy to have me. But when we we're about to jump in the truck i was told to join the others. I also called her on my lunch break today and left her a voicemail. But you're entirely right, as passionate as i may be i need to tone it back. Thank you so much. Without a doubt i need to display myself like i would a customer. Thank you, for your input!

You're doing great. They're probably getting the message that you're a little p-o'd. Just keep it rolling. Stay professional. Hold them to their promises 'cause they may have forgotten some details. They sound like they're overwhelmed a bit. Be helpful, be part of the solution, be hands-on, be the man, take a leadership role with your peers, know what I'm sayin'? Just stay out there in front, and learn and work as hard as you can. Be part of the solution. Ask, "What can I do to help this process along?" You sound like you have a strong personality so use that to your advantage. If you have time off this weekend, get some rest and come back refreshed. You never know: they may be even more frustrated as instructors than you are as a student. Who knows what bs they're dealing with that you're not even hearing about? Ya know?

Anyway, in adversity, take that strong personality of yours and use it rise above the riff-raff.

-mountain girl

Thanks again Mountain Girl! Yesterday when I came into class our instructor pulled me aside and asked me about m week cap review. (I definitely left them some words to read). I told them the main jest and he reassured me that we would be ready come week 4 when we take our road test. Yesterday (Monday) he said the other school's bus broke down so they wouldn't make it out to us. Today (Tuesday) it was the same thing. I'm thinking that it's just them avoiding having to say "hey we messed up." lol But in any case these last two days have been night and day from last week. My caseworker even called me back and asked if things had been resolved. Like you said the squeaky wheel gets oiled!