Southwest Truck Driver Training’s Phoenix Campus Earns Arizona High-Impact Training Designation

Southwest Truck Driver Training is proud to announce that our Phoenix campus has earned Arizona’s 2026 High-Impact Training (HIT) designation, recognizing the strong employment and wage outcomes achieved by students participating in several of our commercial driver training programs.

The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and the Governor’s Workforce Arizona Council recognized 40 ARIZONA@WORK Adult training programs with the High-Impact Training designation. The designation recognizes programs that demonstrate strong results in helping participants move into employment and achieve meaningful wage outcomes.

For Southwest Truck Driver Training’s Phoenix campus, four CDL training programs received the High-Impact Training designation:

· Class A CDL with additional endorsements

· Class A CDL with no endorsements

· 120 Hours CDL with no endorsements

· Class B CDL with Passenger Endorsement

Southwest Truck Driver Training was one of a select group of training providers across Arizona recognized through the initiative, with designated programs spanning industries such as transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, public safety and skilled trades.

More Than Completing a Training Program

What makes the High-Impact Training designation especially meaningful is its focus on what happens after training.

Steve Strong, VP of Administration says “Arizona's HIT initiative goes beyond traditional measures such as enrollment and program completion. The state's evaluation examines employment and wage outcomes, with the goal of identifying programs that make a measurable difference in participants' ability to enter the workforce and improve their earning potential. The evaluation methodology also considers factors outside a training provider's control, including participant barriers and economic conditions.”

That outcomes-based approach aligns closely with the mission of Southwest Truck Driver Training.

Erik Engdahl, Campus Director mentioned “Our goal has never been simply to help students complete a course. We prepare students with the skills, knowledge and professional foundation they need to pursue opportunities in the commercial transportation industry.”

Training is the first step. A career is the destination.

Recognition of Our Students, Instructors and Team

Receiving the High-Impact Training designation reflects the work of many people.

“It starts with our students, who make the commitment to learn new skills and pursue a career in commercial driving. It continues with our instructors, who bring industry experience into the classroom and training yard every day. And it includes the admissions, student services, career services and administrative professionals who help students navigate the journey from enrollment through training and into the workforce.” Sean Willaims, President, Southwest Truck Driver Training added.

This recognition also reinforces the importance of collaboration among training providers, employers and Arizona's workforce development system. The statewide Eligible Training Provider List is designed to connect eligible job seekers with training for in-demand occupations and recognized credentials while providing information about program performance and employment outcomes.

Helping Build Arizona’s Transportation Workforce

Professional truck drivers play an essential role in Arizona's economy and in communities across the country. Developing a skilled pipeline of new commercial drivers means creating opportunities for individuals while helping employers find the qualified talent they need to keep their businesses moving.

For Southwest Truck Driver Training, being recognized as a High-Impact Training provider confirms the value of keeping those two goals connected.

We are proud of what this designation says about the results being achieved through our Phoenix campus—and even prouder of the students and graduates behind those results.

Start Your Journey at Southwest Truck Driver Training

For individuals considering a career in commercial driving, the High-Impact Training designation provides another reason to choose training focused on real-world outcomes.

Southwest Truck Driver Training has been helping students develop the skills needed to pursue careers in the transportation industry for decades. Now, our Phoenix campus is proud to have multiple CDL programs officially recognized by Arizona for their impact on employment and wage outcomes