Ten Washington County High School Graduates Trade Textbooks for Big Rigs and Are Already Headed for Six-Figure Careers

Northwest Regional ESD Youth CDL Pilot Program Partners with Elite Truck School in Hillsboro to Put Gen Z Behind the Wheel of a Class A Career

HILLSBORO, OR, UNITED STATES, August 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- While many of their classmates are packing for college, ten recent high school graduates from Washington County are climbing into the cab of a semi-truck. The students, representing schools across the county, are currently midway through hands-on skills training at Elite Truck School in Hillsboro, Oregon, the culmination of a two-month program that has already earned each of them a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) and put them on track to hold a Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

The cohort includes students from Aloha High School, Banks High School, Beaverton High School, Forest Grove High School, Glencoe High School, Mountainside High School, and Sherwood High School. The following students graduated and earned, or are currently testing for their Class A CDL.

Daniel Cruz
Lezlye Rosas Florida
Mateo Salcedo Hernandez
Brayden Hamel
Oscar Sanchez
Jackson King
Samuel Stewart
Aaron Jones
Walter Dahme
Caius Dehaart

The program is a Youth CDL Pilot initiative organized by the Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD), which identified, screened, and sponsored the student cohort. After completing classroom training and earning their CLPs, students moved to Elite Truck School on July 13th to begin a rigorous three-week skills sequence: range and backing skills, road driving, pre-trip inspection preparation, and final CDL testing beginning July 27th. First-year CDL drivers in Oregon can expect to earn between $50,000 and $75,000, without a four-year degree or student loan debt.

On Thursday, July 23rd, Elite Truck School hosted a Career Fair exclusively for the graduating cohort. Trucking companies, utility companies, and other local employers have already committed to attend, many prepared to pre-hire and screen the graduates before they even receive their licenses. The career fair underscores the urgent demand for qualified CDL drivers across the Pacific Northwest.

“We couldn’t be prouder of what these students have accomplished in such a short period of time. The partnership with NWRESD has been outstanding. They did the hard work of finding and preparing the right students, and we’re delivering the training that will launch their careers,” said Tyler Reisnaur, Co-Owner and General Manager, Elite Truck School.

"The CDL program helped me open my eyes to all the different opportunities that the trucking industry offers. It was cool to see and have business come into the school looking for students to hire right off the bat when they graduate. I also loved how it wasn’t just something that you could go in and get; you actually had to want it show up every day and work hard for it! This CDL program allowed me to secure a Job at Stadelman Valley Farms 2 months before I even had my CDL. And it’s really awesome because I can take it anywhere I go and always find work. So in conclusion, it’s an amazing thing to have if you want it as a career or even just a backup," shared one of the graduates.

"This program has been over two years in the making in collaboration with Washington County Superintendents. Our team worked closely with the Oregon Employment Department and NWRESD Data Analysts to identify Commercial Driving careers as high demand and high wage in the Portland metro. This opportunity is not frequently offered to high school students, and NWRESD was excited to create a regional industry credential that could support students in transitioning from high school to a living wage career with a wide variety of job opportunities. Elite Truck School has been a fantastic partner, and we are excited to expand beyond Washington County to Columbia County in the 2026-27 school year so that more students can earn their Class-A Commercial Driver's License,” said Jamie Brady, School Performance & Workforce Development, Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD).

The Youth CDL Pilot Program is part of a broader effort by NWRESD to connect Washington County students with industry-recognized credentials and career pathways in high-demand fields. Elite Truck School, a professional CDL training provider based in Hillsboro, provides the range, road training, and testing environment that takes students from permit to license. A new video featuring the student cohort can be viewed at https://elitetruckschool.com/blog/washington-county-hs-grads/.


About Elite Truck School
In 2003, after a long and successful career as a professional driver, Elite Founder Greg Reisnaur saw a need for better-trained truck driving professionals in the Portland area. To meet this demand, he built a business to begin offering truck driving courses that delivered a high standard of training, all while remaining affordable and convenient for students. Today, Elite Truck School provides Class A and Class B CDL training and is WIOA and VA approved, with campuses serving communities across Oregon. For more information, visit https://elitetruckschool.com/

About Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD)
The Northwest Regional Education Service District serves school districts across Washington County, Oregon, providing specialized programs, services, and support to help all students succeed. NWRESD’s Industry-Recognized Credentials initiative connects students with career pathways in high-demand industries. For more information, visit www.nwresd.org.

Tyler Reisnaur
Elite Truck School
+1 503-744-5259
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