Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) has announced that the ABQ Commercial Driver's License (CDL) workforce training program has seen significant growth over the past year. The college attributes this success to a consolidation of resources. ABQ CDL offers accelerated training programs for both CDL Class A and Class B, which include theoretical instruction and practical behind-the-wheel courses.
In a collaborative effort, CNM and CNM Ingenuity combined their resources into one comprehensive CDL offering, guiding all potential CDL students through a five-week program. Between 2022 and 2023, enrollment in the Class A licensing course more than doubled from 100 students to 211, while Class B license enrollment increased from 22 to 31 students. According to a press release by CNM, graduates of ABQ CDL are rapidly entering the industry with 80% working as CDL drivers and 90% of those finding employment within three months.
Kyle Lee, CEO of CNM Ingenuity said, "When we restructured this program, our goal was to serve students even better and continue to provide the industry with well-trained individuals ready for work. The past year exceeded our expectations, and ABQ CDL is an even more flexible, robust, and efficient program that is responsive to student and industry needs."
Shanna Sanchez, Senior Program Manager of ABQ CDL stated that by unifying their resources they have not only improved their training fleet but also enhanced the student experience. She added that they now offer training seven days a week along with morning, evening, and weekend classes so students can continue to work and balance their other responsibilities. "Our student-to-instructor ratio is significantly smaller than other training programs; we have two students for every instructor. The licensure test is scheduled into the five-week course since we’re a certified testing site; all of which help set our students up for success," said Sanchez.
ABQ CDL focuses on accelerated training for swift Commercial Driver’s License acquisition, covering Passenger Endorsement upgrades, CDL Skills Assessments, Refresher Classes, and Customized Training. CNM Ingenuity is authorized by the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) to administer the CDL Skills Exam in Central New Mexico, according to the About webpage provided by ABQ CDL.
