For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: June 25, 2025
CDL training offered on campus
Fennimore -For the first time, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is offering CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) training. The session began June 2 with a CDL Prep Course. The students transitioned to hands-on training from June 23-27 and will then take the CDL state test June 28. “My goal as a driving instructor is to make sure we have good, safe, alert, and aware drivers,” said Keith Gilbertson, owner of Dark Horse CDL School, based in Greenville, Wisconsin. “That’s our biggest goal.”
Business and Industry Services at Southwest Tech, partnered with Gilbertson and his company, to offer the training on campus. Prior to this training, students would have to travel elsewhere in the state or Midwest to gain these skills. “This is a perfect opportunity for us to reach students in our area who are interested in advancing their skills,” said Holly Straka, director of Business and Industry Services. “We have had inquiries about this type of training over the years, and we are proud to now be able to offer this, locally.”
The course includes:
• Classroom instruction: CDL regulations, road safety, and industry insights.
• On-the-road training: Master driving maneuvers, backing, parking, and more.
• Endorsement training: Class A with air brakes.
• Exam prep: Practice exams and support.
“We are preparing them for the state exam,” said Gilbertson. “There are three sections of the state exam – pre-trip, backing maneuver, and a driving portion. We are trying to teach them all about the trucks and any emergencies, things that are very important when you are driving a commercial vehicle.”
If they pass the state exam, these students will earn an unrestricted Class A CDL license.
This first cohort includes seven students. According to Gilbertson, a majority of them are seeking the license to enhance their work at small businesses or on farms. In the past, he has taught Electrical Power Distribution students from Southwest Tech. “They aren’t going to drive a semi, per se, but they are going to have a large truck with a trailer, which is still a class A combination vehicle,” said Gilbertson. “We customize the training to what the students will be doing and their background.”
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named the winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |