"Now, not to disrespect every trucker, but many are average intelligence or below average"
You underestimate the adaptability of your fellow human. There may be truckers that performed less well academically than you, but perhaps they didn't need to perform academically in order to survive, and preferred a different route. Give me anyone from any background with motivation to learn the skills I can share and I'd guarantee I could get them to a decent level.
The thing is, the goalpost is moving. First of all, not everyone has enough of "motivation to learn" (along with things like time; the general case is, the poorer you are, the less time you have available to learn; this also applies to unstable situations like losing a job). Secondly, the "decent level" is the moving goalpost. At some point "decent level" is not decent enough to get the bread.
My main point is "motivation to learn" is key. Give me someone with motivation to learn, even if their free time is limited, and I can get them to a decent level in the fields I have knowledge of. As for what "decent level" means, to me in this case it means good enough to be employed based on those skills based on current requirements, and with all the mental tools to further their own education in the future.
Perhaps it's because I recognise my own aptitude is very little to do with being "intelligent" (whatever that means), and much more to do with having an interest in what I do.
