Alumni Spotlight: Dillon Jerdon
CDL Commercial Driver’s License Training Program
Class of 2025
At just 18 years old, Dillon Jerdon already has a head start on a lifelong career. Fresh out of Butler Tech’s CDL Training Program, he is charting a course toward becoming a lineman, an essential trade that requires both grit and a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
For Dillon, the decision to pursue a CDL was clear: becoming a lineman meant obtaining a license to operate commercial vehicles. But where to train?
Butler Tech stood out from the start. “The website had everything I needed right in front of me, no endless scrolling or calling for class details. It made getting started easy,” he explained. Having experienced career technical education at a career center in high school, he was drawn to the same hands-on approach offered through Butler Tech’s adult programs.
Once enrolled, he quickly discovered that the program was designed to support student success. In the classroom, instructor Gail Banks prepared students thoroughly for the written exam. “She taught us everything we needed to know—I went first try and passed,” he said.
On the training pad, instructor James Wheaton provided guidance that clicked instantly. When Dillon struggled with off-set backing, Wheaton stepped in with a method that worked every time. “The instructors never let you just struggle. They give you multiple ways to get it right.”
That consistent support, combined with daily practice behind the wheel, built his confidence. “Driving every day with a partner made me more comfortable. You can talk things through, lean on each other’s strengths, and learn faster together.”
Mastering a manual transmission was one of the toughest challenges, but also one of the most rewarding. “I had driven a manual car before, but semis are completely different. You have to double-clutch and use a splitter to change gears. It was like relearning from the ground up, but once it clicked, I felt ready.”
That preparation paid off when he tested and passed his CDL on the first attempt in a manual truck.
With his CDL in hand, Dillon is now applying for lineman apprentice positions. The path ahead will require four years of apprenticeship, followed by two more years of logged hours, but he is eager for the challenge.
More than anything, he values the security this career path offers. “If you have a CDL, you’ll always have a job. No matter what happens in the economy, freight still has to move.”
For him, the CDL is more than a license. It is a foundation for stability and growth, both for himself and for his future family.
Interested in launching your own career on the road to opportunity? Learn more about Butler Tech’s CDL Training.