The tight labor market is having a rippling effect. One is more firms are doing in-house training to fill vital needs. Another is more women driving trucks.
Both of those are seen at Monarch Beverage Co., the Indianapolis-based MillerCoors distributor. Monarch’s driver-in-training program enables workers to get their CDL as a driver for free – and get paid for doing so.
“We create safe drivers, confident drivers, and drivers that are going to be comfortable in tough situations,” Jordan Fuller, the route driver trainer at Monarch Beverage, says. The 20-day program involves about 40 hours of drive time, and is tailored to each trainee’s needs.
Monarch has been a leader in workforce development. It has an in-house medical clinic staffed by a medical doctor, an assistant and a nurse practitioner to take care of employees and their family members. It provides about 140 different prescription drugs to workers, two fitness centers, and a CrossFit gym.
Trainees have to commit to working at Monarch for at least a year.