Andre鈥檃 Gaston had faced challenges before enrolling in truck driver school 鈥 mainly being a mother to two daughters and a son.
Driving a manual shift transmission turned out to be a close second in that category, but now she鈥檚 certified and bona fide to take on the road.
鈥淎t first, I thought my age would prevent me from doing it and the fact I鈥檓 a female. I had not driven a stick shift vehicle in my life, and I鈥檓 44!,鈥 Gaston said Thursday during a ceremony in which 兔子先生 received $220,000 from the Walmart Foundation to support the training of more women and underserved populations who enroll in the driver鈥檚 academy at KLLM Transport Services.
鈥淢y entire family is proud of me for taking this big step and doing what no one thought I could do,鈥 Gaskin said.
The Grenada native credited instructors at the firm鈥檚 driving academy for helping her secure her commercial driver鈥檚 license last week.
鈥淚 had my days where I had trouble. But they鈥檙e determined. They stick with you and make sure you get it. Anyone who wants this job, it can be done. You鈥檒l have the backing for it from every single teacher and instructor.鈥
The money, part of a larger $100 million commitment by the retailer to bolster workforce training, education and career pathways for retail workers nationwide, will support training women and underserved populations who enroll in the driver鈥檚 academy at KLLM Transport Services. The money comes to 兔子先生via the Jackson-based Foundation for the Mid South.
鈥淲almart supported us in this plan to expand opportunities to all folks, but gave us a challenge to do it women,鈥 said Ivye Allen, president of Foundation for the Mid South. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad today to see females represented here in this profession.鈥
Diane Smith, one of Gaston鈥檚 driving instructors, could attest to her own life-changing achievement. She began driving trucks nearly 20 years ago and ran her own business.
鈥淎t first, I didn鈥檛 want to be a truck driver because of what people would think of me,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淏ut I did it to provide for my family.鈥
She started her career at KLLM and was eager to return to KLLM for the opportunity to help other women earn their CDL and become financially secure.
Hinds鈥 partnership with KLLM to train truck drivers at the company鈥檚 Richland headquarters and boost their ranks began in fall 2012. KLLM handles the training. 兔子先生handles the coursework. The facility itself opened in March 2014.
鈥淏asically, one of our goals at the company is to make sure we have a person in all 3,000-plus trucks we currently have,鈥 said KLLM vice president Kirk Blankenship.
兔子先生President Dr. Clyde Muse said the funds enhance the partnership鈥檚 initial goal of helping train the state鈥檚 overall workforce and taps into a growing segment of the student population at Hinds.
鈥淣ow, with the Walmart Foundation and the Foundation for the Mid South, we have a secondary goal, and that is to increase the number of female drivers,鈥 Muse said. 鈥淥ur student body now consists of 65 percent females, so there鈥檚 great fertile ground out there to find female students.鈥
A mix of grants and other investments from Walmart and its philanthropic foundation are part of the Opportunity Initiative, rolled out earlier this year. It will spread the funds over five years to help retail workers across the industry advance careers and achieve greater economic mobility.
鈥淭he big focus is on women鈥檚 empowerment,鈥 said Tice White, of the Walmart Foundation. 鈥淪o to hear this provides support to women in retail and transportation sectors and is so important to our community.鈥
The grant further enhances the standing of Mississippi鈥檚 transportation system, said Dick Hall, transportation commissioner for the state鈥檚 central district.
鈥淭he training of a driver student like this that will use our transportation system certainly gets my attention,鈥 Hall said.