Swift Transportation Co Inc (NYSE: SWFT), is celebrating the men and women of the armed forces by offering them a new career in trucking. The firm is providing 1,000 full scholarships to veterans to attend a Swift Academy of their choice. Full scholarships are being offered to veterans with a one-year commitment, as well as a $1,000 tuition discount to Selective Reserves and National Guard with a one-year commitment.
“At Swift, we are happy to honor and celebrate the bravery and courage of our US veterans. We believe these men and women deserve the utmost respect from all of us, and we want to help those who might be interested in a truck driving career,” said Scott Barker, vice-president–safety, recruiting, and driver development.
Barker said former military personal are a great fit for Swift because their values and work ethics align with what the company looks for in quality candidates.
“Veterans are used to working in teams and with a high degree of trust for each other,” he said. “They are also used to adapting to change and treating each other with respect. These are all core values for Swift. In addition, just as safety is a key cultural value for Swift, the military instills a value of safety from day one of training.”
Through the Swift Veterans Scholarship program, the company hopes to gain long-term, dedicated, and loyal Swift family members who can grow and develop as they help Swift on its continuous journey toward best-in-class. While Swift has offered partial scholarships to veterans for several years, this is the first time it is offering full scholarships.
Upon training, Swift will place trainees in over-the-road dedicated or regional driving positions. Barker said once an individual gets into the organization and performs effectively, there are opportunities for development into a team driver, dedicated fleet work, and the potential to become a mentor for future new drivers. At Swift, career paths can even lead to office and leadership positions.
Participants and those eligible must have been separated from service within the past 30 months or be an active member of the Guard or Reserve to qualify for the Swift Veterans Scholarship Program. Swift driving academies are in Phoenix AZ, Millington TN, San Antonio TX, and Lewiston ID.
For full information about Swift’s Veterans Scholarship Program, call 866-273-0157 or visit www.joinswift.com.
Based in Phoenix, Swift operates a tractor fleet of about 15,900 units consisting of 11,900 tractors driven by company drivers and 4,000 owner-operator tractors, a fleet of 50,555 trailers, and 6,210 intermodal containers from 34 major terminals in the United States and Mexico. Swift’s services include general, dedicated, and cross-border US/Mexico/Canada service; temperature-controlled, flatbed, and specialized trailers; as well as rail intermodal and non-asset based freight brokerage and logistics management services.
