How a Hallway Conversation Changed Jayshawn Lewis's Future

From a Hallway Conversation to a CDL

Jayshawn Lewis wasn't planning on a career in trucking. He was walking through the halls of his high school when a teacher stopped him with a simple message: you have the grades, and you have the opportunity to earn your CDL before you even graduate.

At the time, Jayshawn had his sights set on carpentry and engineering. A commercial driver's license wasn't part of the plan. But the more he looked into it, the more it clicked.

Advice From Someone Who's Lived It

Before deciding, Jayshawn did what a lot of smart young people do, he asked someone with experience. His uncle has been driving trucks for years, and his answer was straightforward: with a CDL, you can find work just about anywhere.

His uncle also pointed out something Jayshawn hadn't considered. A CDL doesn't replace carpentry or engineering, it adds to it. Hauling materials to and from job sites, higher pay, and the freedom of a career that doesn't keep you tied to one spot. For Jayshawn, that last part landed. His aptitude and career tests had already shown he wasn't someone who wanted to sit still. Trucking meant seeing new places every single day.

And his uncle isn't the only one. Jayshawn has family and friends across the industry who all say the same thing, they love what they do.

Finding Something That Stuck

Jayshawn earned A's and B's through his sophomore year. Then school started to feel routine. He found himself bored, showing up late, even falling asleep in class.

Zeta Driving School was different. For the first time in a while, he was engaged, and it showed him there was more out there than he'd realized. "I had so much fun here," he says. "The instructors are all great, and I learned so much from every one of them. I kind of wish I could keep coming to class even though I don't need to anymore."

What's Next

After high school, Jayshawn plans to ride along with his uncle to build real driving experience, learning from the passenger seat while getting paid, then taking over the route once he's proven himself behind the wheel.

He walked into Zeta Driving School thinking he knew his path. He walked out with a credential, a plan, and options most students his age don't have.

That's what's possible when a school meets a student where they are.

Interested in earning your CDL? Get started with Zeta.