Goodwill of North Georgia CDL A participant demonstrates how to use the CDL simulators.

Goodwill of North Georgia is continuing its investment in the future of workforce training with the addition of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) simulators at its Metropolitan Career Center, the organization’s latest venture into workforce simulation technology.

The new simulators build on a strategy that began in 2024, when Goodwill introduced AI virtual welding and forklift simulators at its Woodstock Career Center. Simulation technology replicates real-world working conditions in a safe, controlled environment, giving job seekers hands-on practice before they ever touch live equipment. This approach has quickly become a signature of how Goodwill prepares North Georgians for high-demand, high-wage careers. Goodwill offers welding, forklift, and CDL training at career centers across the region, with simulator training centralized at two locations: Woodstock and Metropolitan. With the addition of the CDL units, the technology now spans three trades: welding, forklift, and commercial driving.

“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.”

Answering the Region’s Demand for Drivers

The CDL simulators were made possible through the generous support and partnership of Invest Atlanta, as part of a shared effort to provide Atlantans with training in high-wage careers. With commercial driving among the area’s highest-demand industries, the simulators were identified as a tool to help individuals successfully obtain their CDL credential and advance their careers. The investment totaled a little over $300,000.

“Atlanta’s economy grows when Atlantans have a real path into careers that pay well and last,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “This partnership with Goodwill of North Georgia puts advanced training technology directly 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. When a Fulton County resident can walk into a career center and walk out with a commercial driver’s license, that is economic development working the way it should.”

Since installation, 25 participants have trained on the simulators, which replicate real-world driving conditions and allow participants to practice essential skills such as maneuvering, shifting, and responding to hazards, all without the risks or costs of operating an actual truck.

The simulators are now integrated throughout the CDL training experience. Participants use them to prepare for the permit test, during Job Readiness Training, and in a required pre-training assessment the week before class begins. The simulators provide additional hands-on experience, build confidence, reinforce classroom instruction, and deliver immediate performance feedback. This practice helps learners master techniques before transitioning to on-road training, improving safety and increasing their chances of successfully earning a CDL.

“This Program Changed My Life”

Simmons’ mother suggested he earn a CDL A license, to secure a stable career, so, Simmons began searching, but the programs he found charged $4,500 to $5,500 to complete training.

For Kareem Simmons, 53, Goodwill’s CDL program was a turning point. Originally from Newark, New Jersey, Simmons built a business in Atlanta providing audio/visual production and graphic design services, picking up landscaping, security, and driving work to cover the bills when income slowed. During one of those down periods, he decided he needed a skill that could deliver steadier, more consistent work.

Then she mentioned Goodwill. Simmons called a Goodwill career center on a Wednesday, attended the weekly info session the following afternoon, and enrolled in a program starting a couple of weeks later. As a Fulton County resident, he qualified for funding through the Invest Atlanta grant, and Goodwill staff walked him through identifying his best funding option and connecting with the agency administering it.

“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.”

What won him over was the piece he had been least interested in. Eager to earn his license and start making money, Simmons initially felt the classroom portion had little to do with succeeding in the transportation industry, but that changed once he carried those job readiness skills into the job search.

“I learned about how to approach companies, what to say, how to present myself, how to develop a resume,” he said. “The Goodwill program gave me confidence to speak with companies about how I can be a great employee and how my skills translate to the job they are hiring for.”

Today, Simmons operates dump trucks for MC Trucking, a job that keeps him in the Atlanta area and home more consistently.

“If you want a program that works, I suggest you join the Goodwill Driver Training program. I’m not just saying this. I am living proof,” he said.

Building Skills Before the First Spark

The CDL simulators are part of a technology investment that participants across Goodwill’s training programs say makes a real difference. Kandise McDonald, a 33-year-old Decatur resident, entered the welding program at the Decatur Career Center after struggling to find stable work in her field of study, then traveled to the Metropolitan Career Center for her simulator sessions.

“I decided to enroll in the welding program after experiencing how challenging and unstable the job market has been in the fields related to my degrees,” she said. “Pursuing a skilled trade felt like a practical and reliable path forward with strong employment opportunities.”

The welding simulators were central to her training, allowing her to build technique before working with live equipment. “Using the welding simulators was very helpful,” she said. “They allowed me to practice proper techniques and positioning before welding on real metal.”

By the end of the program, McDonald had learned welding safety, equipment operation, blueprint reading, metal preparation, and hands-on welding techniques including MIG, flux, and stick welding. She began working at Mann Mechanical after completing the program and has since moved to Kenimer Knox & Mechanical, where she has worked since June as a member of Local 72.

From Simulator to Warehouse Floor

Goodwill’s forklift program tells a similar story. Kareem Jenkins, who learned about Goodwill’s career training while enrolled in the SNAP program, trained at the Metropolitan Career Center and used the forklift simulator to prepare for the equipment he now operates every day.

“The forklift simulator definitely helped me better prepare for driving the actual forklift,” he said.

His training covered the sit-down forklift, the stand-up forklift, the reach truck, and the electric pallet jack, along with OSHA safety instruction. The lesson that stayed with him was a simple one: “I learned the importance of safety when operating a PIT,” he said, referring to a powered industrial truck.

Today he works for McKenney’s Inc., which provides mechanical services and solutions for commercial buildings including HVAC, process piping, plumbing, building automation, controls, service and maintenance in the Atlanta area, where he has spent more than a year operating forklifts and other warehouse equipment at the company’s Atlanta facility. The role has given him long-term stability, and he quickly points others toward the same path. “I would definitely recommend the forklift program for anyone interested,” he said.

One High-Demand Career at a Time

Three participants, three trades, and one shared starting point: a simulator that let them practice before the stakes were real. This is exactly the outcome Goodwill envisioned when it began integrating simulation technology, giving participants the chance to build skills, sample careers, and gain confidence before stepping into the real thing. With the CDL simulators now operating alongside welding and forklift simulators at the Metropolitan Career Center, that vision continues to expand, one high-demand career at a time.

About Goodwill of North Georgia

Goodwill of North Georgia is a nonprofit organization that has served the Atlanta metro area and surrounding communities for more than 100 years. Through free career coaching, job training, and employment placement services offered at the organization’s 14 career centers and mobile unit across 45 counties throughout north Georgia, the organization has been recognized as the #1 Goodwill in the nation for placing job seekers in meaningful employment for seven consecutive years. For more information, visit www.goodwillng.org.