BARTOW, Fla. — Polk State College will launch a new Commercial Vehicle Driving Program with help from a $2 million Florida Job Growth Grant.
The funding will support a new Commercial Driver’s License, or CDL, training facility at the Polk State Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center in Bartow. The facility will include an 80,000-square-foot driving pad for behind-the-wheel training.
The grant will also provide financial assistance for qualifying students and support partnerships with employers and organizations in fields including logistics, transportation, aviation, aerospace, manufacturing and defense.
Polk State said the program is intended to address demand for commercial drivers in the region. CareerSource Polk’s 2025-26 Regional Demand Occupations List estimates roughly 1,000 annual openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
Polk State President Anastasios Kamoutsas said the program will create more short-term workforce training opportunities while helping local employers fill jobs.
Polk County’s location along the Interstate 4 corridor also makes the area a major logistics hub, with connections to airports, rail lines, seaports and major roadways.
FloridaCommerce awarded Polk State the $2 million as part of a broader round of Florida Job Growth Grant funding announced for workforce and infrastructure projects.
Read more about Polk State’s planned commercial driving program.
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