This spring, BDCC’s workforce team hosted a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Bootcamp for high school students at Bellows Falls Union High School (BFUHS). The Bootcamp followed the flow of BDCC’s pilot Youth CDL Bootcamp from Summer 2025, providing an overview of CDL, including the difference between CDL A and CDL B, types of jobs available, where training is available in our region, and resources available to pay for training. Once again, one of the keystone elements to the bootcamp was a field trip to Northeast Driver Training, a CDL training facility in Chester, to meet Todd West, the owner, and explore the facility.
New this year was the physical location of the bootcamp at BFUHS. Eight students, all BFUHS students, participated in the program: four seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, and one freshman. All 8 students finished the program with plans to pursue CDL once their schedules and/or age allows as early as this summer.
Thank you to Bellows Falls Union High School and Northeast Driver Training for their help in making the CDL Bootcamp possible.
About BDCC
Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a private, nonprofit economic development organization with the mission of investing in the drivers of the regional economy so that people, businesses, and communities in Southern Vermont can thrive. In addition to its private nonprofit leadership role in regional business acceleration and expansion programs and projects, economic, workforce, and community development programming, BDCC is also contracted to carry out the work of one of the twelve the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporations (RDC) for the greater Windham County area (including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Winhall, and Weston). BDCC’s activity is made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. For more information, visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/
About the Workforce Center of Excellence
The Workforce Center of Excellence (WFCoE) is an employer-driven workforce and career training and education initiative of Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC). The WFCoE leverages BDCC’s relationships with employers and workforce development partners, supporting both sides of the labor exchange to connect people with opportunity, and employers with the talent they need. The WFCoE is funded in part by a Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission and US Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration (ETA).
Funding under WORC 5 – NBRC via the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as part of an award totaling $1,038,681 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources, and 100% financed with governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by BDCC, DOL, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please contact BDCC at ExecutiveDirector@brattleborodevelopment.com.
