Perdue Farms has pledged $120,000 to fund a new simulation lab for students in the commercial driver’s license (CDL) course at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Md. The lab will be part of the college’s new technology center, which is scheduled to open in 2023.
Perdue’s contribution, which is being provided through the company’s charitable giving arm, the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, will help ease transport and supply chain issues and ensure lower Eastern Shore of Maryland residents can take advantage of the growing job market.
The CDL simulation lab builds on the success of Wor-Wic’s current simulator, which recreates the visuals and sensation of driving an 18-wheeler, with variable weather, terrain, and transmissions used in commercial trucks, and currently is housed in a mobile classroom. The center’s new CDL simulation lab will allow students to experience the controls and feel of being in a big rig before they get behind the wheel of one of Wor-Wic’s real training vehicles.
 | PACK EXPO gives BACK Is Back at PACK EXPO International |
The community college offers CDL training programs that lead to both class A and class B licenses for commercial driving, and currently instructs 70 to 105 commercial drivers every year.
“At Perdue, we employ just under 400 commercial truck drivers to deliver our products to our customers and consumers,” says Rich Hernandez, vice president of transportation and warehousing for Perdue Farms. “We’re always looking for experienced drivers to join our fleet. Programs like this at Wor-Wic provide an excellence training ground for new drivers and are beneficial for our company as well.”
