Samuel, Son & Co. doesn’t hire entry-level truck drivers as soon as they finish their training. The business of moving steel isn’t an entry-level job by any means. But that hasn’t stopped it from supporting a future generation of truckers.
For the second year in a row, the Ontario-based business has covered the cost of a full driver training scholarship to support a female trainee identified by the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada.
The initiative emerged through Samuel’s diversity, inclusion, belonging, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
“They’re leading the way from a trucking company perspective,” says Shelley Uvanile-Hesch, CEO of the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada. “It goes to show this company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
“For us, this is such a perfect convergence of two thoughts. One is the whole diversity agenda and how … we need to attract a more diverse workforce,” says Colin Osborne, president and CEO of Samuel, Son and Co.
But the business also operates a substantial fleet, he adds, referring to its 230 trailers and 165 power units.
Tia MacNeil, this year’s scholarship recipient, will be trained through the Ontario Truck Driving School.
“It’s always just been a passion of mine. I love being out on the road,” MacNeil says, noting why she wants to pursue a career in trucking.
“A long-term goal with my partner and I is to become a team, and I just want to be part of the growing number of women and support women out there on the road.”
Trucking HR Canada reports that just 3.5% of Canada’s truck drivers are women.