Feb 22, 2022 - News

Iowa offers refugees free commercial driver's license classes

Jason Clayworth

Illustration of a tractor trailer wearing a mortarboard. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Refugees in Iowa are being offered free commercial driver's license (CDL) classes under a new program launched this month, a spokesperson for Iowa's Department of Human Services (DHS) told Axios.

Why it matters: It could be a win/win. Demand for drivers is at an all-time high across the U.S. and Iowa.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan refugees have settled in the state, and many are seeking employment.

Plus: Some of them supported American military logistics operations in Afghanistan, experience that lends well to the trucking industry, DHS spokesperson Alex Carfrae said.

Details: DHS' Bureau of Refugee Services has partnered with the Des Moines Area Community College Transportation Institute on the new program.

The institute helps many of its students line up employment before they graduate.
The initial class will begin in April and be capped at around 30 people, according to Mak Suceska, bureau chief of the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services.

What's next: A referral and application process is ongoing.

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Iowa offers refugees free commercial driver's license classes

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