It may be MTS Training Academy’s 18th annual commencement ceremony, but an event in Vallejo on Saturday marks the first one that includes a Robby Poblete Foundation scholarship recipients, organizers said.
“Our foundation has partnered with Michael’s and this will be our first graduation with them that will include one of our scholarship awardees,” foundation founder and executive director Pati Navalta Poblete said. “To date, we’ve given out about $20,000 in scholarships for both commercial driving and building trades apprenticeships.”
The Poblete Foundation partnered with Michael’s Transportation “because of its great track record when it comes to training, giving people second chances, and placing them in jobs after graduation,” she said. “There is a huge shortage of commercial drivers throughout the country. We have an opportunity here to fill this gap in the workforce, while providing people with job skills and good-paying jobs. I’m honored to be speaking at this graduation where I’ll see some of our awardees walk the line and start their new careers.”
Orcem’s Steve Bryan has also given money toward commercial driving scholarships for Michael’s Transportation, she said.
MTS is a division of Vallejo-based Michael’s Transportation Service Inc., and Saturday’s commencement ceremony is schedule for 11 a.m., at its headquarters at 140 Yolano Drive.
It marks the culmination of six to 12-week training courses consisting of both classroom and behind the wheel driving, and will see 150 new commercial drivers graduate, they said.
“The innovative, employee-owned company has graduated thousands of people in commercial driver training over the years, after which graduates begin exciting careers as school bus drivers, tour and transit bus drivers; as well as Class A/truck drivers,” organizers said.
Unique to MTS is its focus on training ex offenders, they said.
“We celebrate our re-entry population because we realize we are changing lives and restoring families by giving our brothers and sisters a second chance in life,” MTS founder and CEO, Michael Brown said.
In addition, MTS played a key role in Solano County’s AB109 reform efforts for ex offenders, having been selected to provide vocational training to determine if commercial driving offered opportunities for those seeking a second chance, he said. MTS went on to train all 10 of the initial participants in the program and found employment for nine of them, he said.
Scheduled to address this year’s ceremony, are Navalta Poblete and Solano County Superior Court Judge Dan Healy.
Vallejo natives, and Michael’s Transportation Service Founders Michael and Paulette Brown, are also schedule to speak.
MTS Training Academy specializes in Class A, Class B and school bus driver training programs and is approved to operate by the Bureau of Private Post-secondary Education, company officials said.
Since 1996, MTS Training Academy has successfully trained more than 1,000 drivers, they said. Many of those graduates are now the operators of school buses, diesel trucks, transit vehicles; delivery trucks, and charter buses throughout the greater Bay Area, officials said.
The school is a division of Michael’s Transportation Service, a regional leader in school pupil transportation services based in Vallejo with locations in Sacramento, Watsonville, and Oakland, company officials said.
For information, call Sheila White, (707) 652-2562
Thank you: Times Herald
