Goodwill of North Georgia has added CDL (Commercial Driver’s License)
simulators at its Metropolitan Career Center, expanding its virtual simulation strategy that began in 2024 with virtual welding and forklift simulators at the Woodstock Career Center.

Made possible through the support and partnership of Invest Atlanta, the simulators represent an investment of a little over $300,000. With commercial driving among the region’s highest-demand industries, the technology was identified as a tool to help Atlantans earn their CDL credential and move into higher-wage work. Twenty-five participants have trained on the simulators since installation.

“In metro Atlanta, a child born in certain areas of Atlanta can potentially spend their whole lives in poverty, said Keith Parker, president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia.

“That means for too many of our neighbors, the zip code they are born into sets a ceiling on the life they can build. Technology like this is how we push back. A resident can sit down at a simulator, build a real skill in weeks instead of years, and step into an industry that pays a living wage. We are not just training people for jobs. We are giving them a way out of a statistic.”

“Atlanta’s economy grows when Atlantans have a real path into careers that pay well and are sustainable,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “This partnership puts advanced training technology in the hands of residents who are ready to work, and it removes the cost barrier that keeps too many people out of these industries.”

The simulators replicate real-world driving conditions, letting participants practice maneuvering, shifting, and responding to hazards without the risks or costs of operating an actual truck. They are used to prepare for the permit test, during Job Readiness Training, and in a required assessment the week before class begins, helping learners master techniques before moving to on-road training.

From Skeptic to Driver

Karim Simmons, 53, enrolled after his own business slowed and he needed steadier income. Every CDL program he found charged $4,500 to $5,500, until his mother mentioned Goodwill. As a Fulton County resident, he qualified for funding through the Invest Atlanta grant.

“I would say I was the number one person coming in who was doubtful and apprehensive,” Simmons said. “But since I joined this program and successfully graduated, it has changed my life. I’ve been able to help my kids pay for their college education.”

Simmons credits the program’s Job Readiness Training with preparing him for the job search as much as the road. He now operates dump trucks for MC Trucking, a job that keeps him closer to home.

Graduates of Goodwill’s simulator-based welding and forklift programs report similar results, including welder Kandise Daise, now with Kenimer Knox & Mechanical and a member of UA Local Union 72.