Two years after graduating from Floodwood High School, Butch Sandstrom is ready to hit the road as a commercial truck driver and diesel mechanic.

Sandstrom graduated from Hibbing Community College (HCC) this spring after completing the college's Diesel Mechanic and Truck Driving courses.

"I'm a fourth generation logger, so I will be working on my dad's equipment and trucks," said Sandstrom. "I really liked the courses. I like working on equipment and I learned a lot about all the electronics on the new trucks."

High-tech training for truck, bus, and other types of commercial vehicle driving, has moved into high gear at HCC with acquisition of a state-of-the-art $117,000 commercial truck driving simulator.

The simulator is being used by the college's Truck Driving, Diesel Mechanic, and Advanced Minnesota customized driver training programs to train a variety of commercial vehicle drivers.

A grant to buy the simulator was provided by the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) Education/Workforce Development Program.

HCC is a member of the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED).

Advanced Minnesota provides customized and continuing education training courses at all five NHED colleges.

Located within the HCC Diesel Mechanic, Truck Driving learning space, the simulator allows students the opportunity to learn truck driving skills without the costs or potential safety issues of operating a truck on public roads.

Instructors can input real-life road situations into the simulator, including rain, snow, ice, traffic and flat tires.

NHED President Sue Collins said the simulator brings new potential to HCC and Advanced Minnesota training programs.

"This state-of-the-art simulator provides real time driving experiences for our students and provides assessment data for faculty about the depth of student learning in driving situations," said Collins. "The new instructional technology will also enhance and diversify Advanced Minnesota's menu of offerings, including an accelerated CDL training program, incumbent workforce programming with transportation companies, school bus training throughout the region, and charter transportation training. We are truly advantaged by the great education partnership we have forged with IRRRB and Commissioner Mark Phillips."

Truck drivers are in high demand.

Research by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) project 730 truck driver job openings in northeastern Minnesota over the next decade. Within Minnesota, there's 8,290 projected truck job openings. Nationwide, 1,894,100 truck job openings are projected.

IRRRB Commissioner Mark Phillips said Workforce Development grants support educational programs in the IRRRB service area that train students for the type of jobs that are in demand by industry.

"Our activities are focused on jobs," said Phillips. "The truck driving simulator is a really innovative tool that helps students achieve their career goals and be hired in an industry where there's high demand."

Completion of CDL training at HCC allows students to enter the transportation workforce as an entry level driver, said John Bright, HCC Auto/Diesel and CDL instructor.

"The addition of a CDL simulator gives students the confidence and skills to make the transition to the CDL truck a more comfortable leap,' said Bright. "It also allows for training maneuvers that we cannot replicate in real life without damaging a truck or endangering the public. We couldn't be more thankful to IRRRB for its continued investments in higher education."

Plans are to acquire school bus driver training software for the simulator, which will allow HCC and Advanced Minnesota to offer school bus driver training to bus drivers and districts.

Pictured above right: Butch Sandstrom operates the new Advanced Minnesota/HCC Commercial Driving Simulator.