McLane Company, Inc., a leading supply chain services company providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions, launched a Registered Driver Apprenticeship Program featuring a veteran initiative, Warriors to Wheels.
On May 8, 2018, at 9 am, McLane hosted a signing ceremony for the press, local dignitaries and senior leadership of McLane at their Southwest location to officially roll out the program. The ceremony included speeches from James “Dudley” Light, State Director for the U.S. Department of Labor; Tony Frankenberger, President of Grocery at McLane; Rodney Smoczyk, Director of Recruitment at McLane; and Jennifer Rojas Clouse, EEO Compliance and Inclusion Manager at McLane. Special guests included Martha Tyroch, District Representative for Texas State Senator Dawn Buckingham; Roxann Griffin, Regional Veterans’ Employment Coordinator for U.S. Department of Labor; Charles Ayres, Vice President of Temple Economic Development Corporation; and Susan Kamas, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions of Central Texas.
The Warriors to Wheels program is GI Bill approved and is a Registered Driver Apprenticeship with the Department of Labor. It is designed to attract and provide military veterans an “earn while you learn” training model that utilizes their military training experience to move into a career in transportation. McLane offers careers that don’t require drivers to be away from their families for extended periods of time. Delivery drivers run 1-2-day routes, with over 80 distribution centers nationwide.
The Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Programs help employers recruit and develop a highly skilled workforce. Registered apprenticeships are industry-driven and flexible training solutions that help to reduce turnover, costs and increase employee retention.
McLane’s Driver Apprenticeship Program is open to anyone, not just veterans. However, military veterans who are eligible for GI Bill benefits can receive their GI Bill housing allowance while earning a wage at the same time.
“Warriors to Wheels exemplifies McLane’s long-standing commitment to military veterans and is intentional in creating pathways for veterans to enjoy stable careers while earning good incomes for their families. Our partnership with the Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program helps to strengthen our shared commitment to bridge the skills gap and diversify the workforce,” said Jennifer Rojas Clouse, EEO Compliance and Inclusion Manager.
To learn more about McLane’s Warriors to Wheels program and to locate approved training locations, visit McLanew2w.com.
About McLane
McLane Company, Inc. is one of the largest supply chain services leaders, providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions for convenience stores, mass merchants, drug stores, and chain restaurants throughout the United States. McLane, through McLane Grocery and McLane Foodservice, operates over 80 distribution centers across the U.S. and one of the nation’s largest private fleets. The company buys, sells and delivers more than 50,000 different consumer products to nearly 110,000 locations across the U.S.
In addition, McLane provides alcoholic beverage distribution through its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire Distributors, Inc. McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK) and employs more than 20,000 teammates.