In order to alleviate an ongoing worker shortage across the board, some industries are looking into new approaches, like opening their workforce to younger people.

A company that recently lobbied to have laws relaxed for their own industry was Casey's, which says 16 and 17-year olds should be able to learn to operate pizza-making equipment to allow staff shortages to be alleviated. State lawmakers are discussing, and many seem onboard with the idea as long as safety precautions are emphasized.

When you hear "supply chain shortage" the most important group of people that first come to mind are likely truckers, and a new program allows them to expand their ranks. Driving a big rig takes even more training and caution than making pizza, but according to KCRG, with the right amount of such training under their belt, drivers as young as 18 will soon be able to cross state lines as semi-truck drivers thanks to a new pilot program funded by President Biden's $1T infrastructure package.

It will allow 3,000  selected 18-21-year-olds to drive coast to coast in a semi, whereas at that age it was previously only allowed within one's own state lines.

Drivers will be required to take 400 hours of training with an experienced driver before being allowed to drive cross-country by themselves. The goal is to eventually turn this pilot program into law.  It is unknown as to when the program will begin, but Amy Lasack says it's high time for a solution like this to be greenlit. She is the director of continuing education at Kirkwood Community College, which has one of the most popular and extensive trucking programs in Iowa.

I think it’s definitely valuable solutions, probably not the only solution to solve our supply issues and all our truck driving shortage issues. But it’s definitely one way that we can address that issue

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