1-855-888-NTWC (6892)
twc@transportcenter.org
The COVID crisis has put a spotlight on the concentration of Black, Latina, and Afro-Latina women in low-wage jobs, including in many essential healthcare and retail jobs. The skilled construction trades have given many women an alternative to the poorly paid jobs in the service sector that many had to turn to before finding the trades. The skilled construction trades provide opportunities to build careers that are both challenging and fulfilling, pay a family sustaining wage with benefits, and can be accessed through ‘learn as you earn’ apprenticeships. This brief discusses the experiences of early career Black, Latina, and Afro Latina women in the trades.
TRANSIT MODE
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Notice of Funding Opportunity: DOL Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program
Administering Agency: US Department of Labor
Posted Date: April 5, 2023
Closing Date for Applications: July 7, 2023, 11:59 pm Eastern Time
Funding Range: Estimated Total Program Funding: $80,000,000 — Award Ceiling: $5,000,000 — Award Floor: $500,000
Geographic Scope: National
July 2023
Description: The purpose of the DOL Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program is to fund public-private partnerships to develop, strengthen, and scale promising and evidence-based training models in H-1B industries and occupations critical to meeting the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and to maximize the impact of these investments.
Updated April 5, 2023 on TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.
Lunch & Learn: Youth Careers in Transit – Exploring a World of Opportunity
This is Part 4 of Iyai’s 6-part 2023 Transportation/Mobility Career Awareness Lunch and Learn series. This webinar is co-sponsored with the International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center. This webinar features presenters at various stages of their transit careers discussing their work and their own career pathways, and then engaging in an interactive discussion with the audience.
Iyai+, International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
May 2023
TOPICS: Career Pathways
Program: Iyai’s Dr. Beverly Scott and TWC’s Shayna Gleason present an overview of the program series and career landscape, followed by participants in diverse positions talking about their work and careers. Speakers include:
-Marvin Alfred, President, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113 (Toronto);
-Kyisha Bond, mechanic apprentice, IndyGo (Indianapolis),
-Inez Evans, President and CEO, IndyGo (Indianapolis);
-Andrew Falotico, Health and Safety Representative, ATU Local 113 (Toronto);
-Desiree Patrice, Deputy Chief of Capital Transformation, MBTA (Boston).
After the presentations, Karen Philbrick from the Mineta Transportation Institute facilitates a conversation between the audience and presenters.
RESOURCE TYPE: Tools/Toolkits | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Workforce Mini-Guides
These six workforce development mini-guides are designed to help develop and implement successful strategies to address the critical workforce shortages seen across the public transportation industry. They cover these topics: advancing awareness of transit careers; creating internships and apprenticeships; recruiting and hiring transit workers; serving the underserved in the workforce; onboarding, training, and retaining workers; and building a transit curriculum.
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
April 2023
An October 2022 survey conducted by APTA revealed that 96 percent of transit agencies of all sizes are experiencing workforce challenges, and 84 percent said these shortages are impacting their ability to provide service. APTA developed these mini-guides building on their 2021 Transit Workforce Readiness Guide and combining industry insights and stories, case studies, lessons learned, and best practices.
TWC’s Transit Workforce Data Dashboard
Launched in March, 2023, the Transit Workforce Data Dashboard presents quantitative, descriptive data about the composition of the transit workforce and trends in transit employment using a series of charts and graphics. This information is relevant for industry discussions in a range of contexts, including: strategic workforce planning in recruitment, retention, and other areas; examining and addressing opportunities and challenges related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access; and identifying training and funding needs.
Transit Workforce Center
March 2023
Apprenticeship Training Courses
This series of free online training courses will help transit providers and others plan for, create, and sustain registered apprenticeship programs. Several courses have already been released and others are forthcoming.
Jobs for the Future (JFF)
March 2023
TOPICS: Apprenticeship
Transit Workforce Shortage: Synthesis Report and Toolkit
The Transit Workforce Shortage Study builds a framework for APTA, its members, and its partner organizations to better understand the workforce shortage’s causes and provides best practices for recruiting, hiring, and retaining transit operations workers.
APTA’s Transit Workforce Shortage Study combines information from a survey of public transit workers and interviews with public transportation agencies to provide insight into ways to address the national shortage of transit workers. The report provides information on actions agencies have taken to address the workforce shortage, and the toolkit provides step-by-step answers to workforce shortage scenarios agencies are facing every day.
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
March 2023
TOPICS: Hiring and Recruitment
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Program Overview
The Transit Workforce Center hosted Making Connections 2022: The National Transit Workforce Conference in Washington, D.C. on December 13-14, 2022. This conference brought together participants from urban, suburban, rural, and tribal public transportation and industry stakeholders in plenaries, workshops, networking, and ongoing dialogue. Discussions and sessions featured topics including recruitment and retention, training, mentoring and apprenticeships, new technologies, preparing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce, and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Session materials from Making Connections 2022 are hosted on the TWC Resource Center. Please click here to view all related materials. A PDF copy of the conference schedule is linked below.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion , Hiring and Recruitment , Labor-Management Partnerships , Making Connections 2022 , Program Evaluation and ROI , Retention , Safety and Health , Trainer and Mentor Development , Training and Development , Zero Emission Buses
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Out of the Box Strategies: Using Partnerships to Strengthen Recruitment, Retention and the Advancement of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: This session featured cutting-edge partnership strategies that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and access while strengthening recruitment and retention. Representatives from transit labor and management, education, and national and local transit supporters and stakeholders provided a range of perspectives, while discussing innovative programs and initiatives along with their positive outcomes.
Moderator
Jess Guerra: Executive Director, Transportation Workforce Institute – Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Speakers
Mona Babauta: Deputy General Manager – Golden Gate Transit
Rich Diaz: Golden Gate Transit Mentor Coordinator – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575
Meghna Khanna: Senior Director, Systemwide Team, Mobility Corridors – Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Judy Shanley: Director – National Center for Mobility Management; Assistant Vice-President, Education & Youth Transition Programs, Easter Seals Director – National Center for Mobility Management
Tracy Spikes: Workforce Development Program Manager – Central Ohio Transit Authority
John Tkach: Executive Director – Keystone Development Partnership
Jarvis Williams: President – Transport Workers Union Local 208
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Transit Instructional Systems Design Boot Camp
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: From Adult Learning Theory to measurable learning objectives to learning models that are proven to enhance understanding and retention – the highly interactive Transit Instructional Systems Design Boot Camp was designed to help participants gain a basic working knowledge of the full ISD process. Based on Chuck Hodell’s best-selling book, ISD From the Ground Up, this session introduced transit trainers and managers to the widely-used and theory-supported system of instructional design practice that provides the foundation for today’s transit classroom and field instruction.
Moderator
Julie Deibel-Pundt: Program Director, Instructional Design – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Speakers
Dennise Cardona: Digital Content Manager – University of Maryland Baltimore County
Chuck Hodell: Affiliate Professor – University of Maryland School of Pharmacy; Faculty Lecturer – Northeastern University; Academic Advisor – International Masonry Training and Education Foundation
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Growing Your Own Through Apprenticeship: A Joint Approach to Building Skills
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: Apprenticeship programs create a foundation for strong, effective workforce development programs. The ability to build and sustain these programs requires strong labor-management partnerships, or, in the case of nonunion agencies, ongoing involvement of, and management engagement with, the frontline workforce. In this session, panelists from a diverse group of transit agencies presented examples of challenges met and lessons learned as they designed and implemented their apprenticeship programs. Attendees heard how apprenticeship can support a variety of frontline transit occupations and the benefits that apprenticeship offers.
Moderator
Jamaine “G” Gibson: Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development – Amalgamated Transit Union
Speakers
Dexter Bishop: Elevator/Escalator Journeyman – Amalgamated Transit Union/Local 689
Stephanie Deiger: Chief Human Resources Officer – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Brian Funk: Chief Operating Officer and Deputy General Manager – MetroTransit Minneapolis
Michael Hanssen: Supervisor of Technical Skills Training – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Alec Johnson: Bus Operator Apprenticeship Coordinator – MetroTransit Minneapolis/Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Hands-On Instructional Training for Transit Trainers
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: Hands-on instructional training is a critical piece to any organization’s training program. This workshop addressed hands-on training and its importance, best practices, lessons learned, and how to create effective hands-on training. Workshop participants observed hands-on welding simulation. The goal of this session was for participants to leave with the knowledge and resources to make hands-on training impactful and meaningful!
Moderators
Kristen Ribaudo: Instructional Systems Design Consultant – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Grant Young: Instructional Systems Design Consultant – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Speakers
Ed Hogan: Chief Welding Instructor – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Grace Kuka: Welding Instructor – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Designing an Impactful Training Program: Linking Program Design to Classroom Learning and On-The-Job Training for Transit Frontline Workers
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
TOPICS: Making Connections 2022 , Retention , Training and Development
Session Summary: This workshop covered the basic building blocks of program design. Participants evaluated the pieces needed to develop a robust program that enables trainers to link good program design to effective classroom and on-the-job learning. This workshop was relevant to those looking to build new programs or refine current programs.
Moderator
Grant Young: Instructional Systems Design Consultant – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Speakers
Mike Glaeser: Manager, Bus Maintenance Training – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Colleen May: Senior Director of Training – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Danielle Wallace: Apprenticeship and Pathways Manager – King County Metro Transit
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Moving Forward Together: Creating and Sustaining Successful Labor-Management Partnerships
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: Across the country, strong labor-management partnerships underlie many of the most effective public transportation recruitment, retention, career development, and advancement programs. In this session, experienced subject-matter experts from transit and from government discussed the importance and impact of these partnerships, provided program examples and outcomes, and highlighted key components in establishing and maintaining these relationships.
Moderators
Brian Turner: Founding Director – International Transportation Learning Center
Speakers
Shirley Block: President/Business Representative – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757
Jamaine “G” Gibson: Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development – Amalgamated Transit Union
Andrew Hasty: Senior Advisor – U.S Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards; Commissioner – Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Nate Holton: Director of Labor Relations – TriMet
Denise Jenkins-Agurs: Chief People Officer – IndyGo
Charles Jenkins: Director – New York City Transit Training & Upgrading Fund/Transport Workers Union Local 100
Darnice Marsh: Labor Management Partnership Coordinator – U.S. Department of Labor
Making Connections 2022 – Meeting Industry Needs: Feedback Session on FTA’s Draft Strategic Workforce Development Plan
This handout was shared with participants in a feedback session held during TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center & Federal Transit Administration
December 2022
Session Summary: The Federal Transit Administration, assisted by the Transit Workforce Center, is developing a strategic plan to support, strengthen and advance the transit industry’s workforce development programs. In this working session, participants heard about the current draft version of the plan and provided feedback and input that will shape the final document and direction.
Speakers
Mary Leary: Acting Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration and Innovation – Federal Transit Administration
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Online Training and Learning Technologies
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: The Online Training and Learning Technologies Workshop addressed how online training is evolving, strategies to start or expand an online training program, and ways to incorporate learning technologies, regardless of training program size. The session included an exciting snapshot of how cutting-edge learning technologies are successfully being used in the transit industry today.
Moderator
Grant Young: Instructional Systems Design Consultant – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Speakers
Julie Deibel-Pundt: Program Director, Instructional Design – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
Michael Flocchini: Training and Education Manager – AC Transit
Todd Marks: Founder, CEO and President – Mindgrub Technologies
RESOURCE TYPE: Presentations | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Making Connections 2022 – Mentoring: A Great Route to Frontline Workforce Development
This session was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
Session Summary: This session explored how transit agencies can use structured mentoring programs and mentor training as an effective approach to deal with the challenges of recruiting, supporting, training, and retaining drivers and technicians. Current and former mentors and mentor program coordinators from labor and management discussed the fundamentals of mentoring, the mentoring process and its impact on employees and agencies, along with the varied ways mentoring can and should be an integral part of any training or apprenticeship program.
Moderator
Stu Bass: Principal – Progress Worx; Founding Director – Keystone Development Partnership
Speakers
Raul “Kiko” Diaz: Senior Assistant Business Manager – San Diego Metropolitan Transit System/IBEW Local 465
Rich Hibbs: Co-Director – California Transit Works
Dionna McCane: Mentorship and Apprenticeship Coordinator – IndyGo
Ibrahim Ouattara: Workforce Development Manager – IndyGo
Troy Thornton: Mentor/Bus Operator – Golden Gate Transit/Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Apprenticeship Building America: Mentoring Guide
Mentoring is a key staple of a successful apprenticeship program. This guide provides an overview of the qualities of a good mentor, the activities a mentor undertakes, tips for mentoring youth apprentices, and more.
U.S. Dept of Labor, Apprenticeship Building America Grant Program
December 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Trainer and Mentor Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Expanding Apprenticeship: Return on Investment (ROI)
This is the landing page for Apprenticeship ROI resources on the WorkforceGPS website (sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration of the US Department of Labor). It is updated periodically and includes recent publications released as part of the evaluation of the American Apprenticeship Initiative. These resources attest to the value of apprenticeship programs for organizations and for workers.
WorkforceGPS
November 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Program Evaluation and ROI
Employers can support workers’ economic mobility and their own bottom lines
This article provides a concise description of several strategies employers can use to create clear advancement pathways in their workplaces, which will help attract and retain quality candidates. It discusses research around what modern-day employees are looking for in a workplace and a position. It also links to a related article, which provides an overview of the framework created by Jobs for the Future (JFF) to describe the components of a good job.
WorkRise
November 2022
Online Learning and Learning Technologies
On October 25, 2022, TWC hosted an exciting webinar that explores online training, best practices in training delivery, and exciting trends in online technology for the transit industry.
Transit Workforce Center
October 2022
TOPICS: Training and Development
Building Pathways to Infrastructure Careers: Framework for Preparing an Infrastructure Workforce
This resource provides a framework for all workforce stakeholders, including infrastructure project leads, to engage the public workforce system in implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with strong workforce commitments and proven strategies that produce high-quality education, training, and employment opportunities for all workers.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
October 2022
Steps for Transportation Workforce Diversity Outlined in TRB’s Research
This blog post highlights resources for improving inclusion and diversity in the transportation workforce.
Transportation Research Board
October 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Women in the Workplace 2022 & WTS Summary and Analysis
Women in the Workplace is the largest study on the state of women in corporate America. In 2015, LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company launched the study to give companies insights and tools to advance gender diversity in the workplace. The full report is linked below.
An analysis from WTS International outlining the report’s implications for the transportation workforce is also attached.
LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company; WTS International
October 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Transit Workforce Shortage: Root Causes, Potential Solutions, and the Road Ahead
Public transit providers across North America face a shortage of operators and mechanics during a period of economic instability and reshuffling exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, agencies’ ability to respond to the worker shortage has been hampered by inadequate information about its causes and effects. The Transit Workforce Shortage Study builds a framework for APTA, its members, and its partner organizations to better understand the workforce shortage’s causes and provides best practices for recruiting, hiring, and retaining transit operations workers. The study is comprised of two phases. This document, the Interim Findings Report, synthesizes the findings from Phase 1, which included a survey of transit agencies and background research into the macro causes of the shortage.
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
October 2022
TOPICS: Hiring and Recruitment
ATTAIN Rail/Signals/Traction Power and Facilities/Elevator-Escalator Committees Meeting
The American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN), run by the Transit Workforce Center (TWC), is a peer network created for transit agencies and labor unions to explore new apprenticeship programs or enhance existing programs for their frontline workforce.
This recorded meeting of the ATTAIN committees for Rail/Signals/Traction Power and Facilities/Elevator-Escalator serves as a resource for transit industry stakeholders and includes presentations on apprenticeship and case studies of successful programs across the country.
Transit Workforce Center
September 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Case Studies | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Recruiting Seniors and Retirees – Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) & Transit Workforce Center
September 2022
Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority in Massachusetts serves 15 towns within a 400 square miles area in an area where the population triples in the summer with seasonal residents. CCRTA runs seven year-round fixed route lines, several on-demand and hybrid on-demand services, and three summer shuttle services. In 2021, CCRTA served approximately 2.5 million people with 98 drivers.
Faced with driver shortages, CCRTA and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1548 worked together and negotiated driver raises and $1,000 bonuses paid after 90-days. In addition, a six-step salary scale to reach the top pay grade was reduced to two steps. Drivers can now reach the top pay level within two years.
Barnstable County’s senior population is among the largest per capita in the country, and CCRTA has instituted hiring initiatives aimed toward the senior and retiree population. In connecting with this population, CCRTA has taken a variety of actions, including:
- Reaching out through Cape Cod Elder Services to communicate CCRTA’s interest in hiring seniors. CCRTA’s Human Services Transportation Manager sits on this organization’s board, facilitating ongoing contact.
- Targeting recruitment of retiring teachers, firefighters, police, and school bus drivers. Cape Cod RTA staff visited schools, fire houses, police stations, and municipal offices to share recruitment information.
- Visited each town on Cape Cod, talked with local retirement agency officials, and posted and mailed banners and notices.
- Overall increase in the agency’s traditional and social media presence generally, including advertising explicitly aimed at seniors, including on social media. Developed advertising, messaging, and imagery to make seniors and retirees feel welcome. To see samples of advertising, visit Cape Cod RTA Jobs on Facebook, the ad on their website’s front page, and see the video, featuring older drivers, on the CCRTA career page.
- Emphasizing the short time it takes to reach the highest salary level, a compelling message for seniors and retirees, who often value salaries more than benefits, as well as the ability to reach the highest level within their time at the agency.
- Offering various employment options, including full-time and part-time, and seasonal. The agency has found that individual needs lead to varied choices; they estimate their senior employees have split 50-50 in what scheduling option they choose.
- Providing full CDL training, testing and additional agency-specific training for all employees without CDLs. The agency pays for all training.
- Offering options for non-CDL drivers, who operate smaller vans. The agency encourages the CDL route because it gives drivers more flexibility in shifts and allows them to work and get paid at a higher rate.
- Currently exploring working with the Barnstable County Retirement Commission to arrange for a notice about CCRTA employment options to be part of the Commission’s information packet when an employee puts in for retirement.
CCRTA values its older workforce and their commitment to the job; through its efforts, it has been able to hire a dozen seniors and retirees as drivers. The agency notes that with this population, it is reasonable to expect excellent attendance, while also allowing for the potential of more short-term disability and time for medical appointments. COVID-19 saw CCRTA lose about half of its senior workforce, given seniors’ sensitivity to exposure. However, CCRTA is renewing its recruitment efforts in this area through the various methods noted.
For more information, contact:
Penny Grossman, H.R. Manager – Pgrossman@capecodrta.org – 508-385-1430, ext. 106
Come Drive with (B)us – Akron METRO Operator Recruitment Event
Akron METRO Regional Transit Authority & Transit Workforce Center
September 2022
TOPICS: Hiring and Recruitment
Organizations
Akron METRO Regional Transit Authority (METRO): Transit agency serving Summit County, Ohio and the city of Akron, with a fleet totaling 231 vehicles: 140 large buses and 91 smaller paratransit vehicles. METRO employs 425 team members.
Stark State College: Local event venue and partner in advertising campaign. METRO is currently in the final stages of an agreement with Stark State to supplement its CDL training program.
Program Summary
METRO’s “Come Drive with (B)us” event was a major initiative designed to recruit bus operators. Held at Stark State College, the event featured on-site bus-related activities, interviews and job applications. Extensive outreach activities before the event through diverse outlets, combined with the themed ad campaign, brought 99 interested participants and resulted in 71 contingent offers. The key “draw” to this event was the ability to test drive our vehicles on a closed course alongside our staff. METRO’s idea was that if the thought of driving a bus was keeping people from applying, they could offer a nontraditional mechanism to overcome that hesitancy. Once that challenge was overcome, the process could focus on the soft skills related to empathy and great customer service that are critical to success.
Key Program Elements
- Pre-event publicity
- Pop Art themed ad campaign (viewable on Facebook; an example is attached below as a PDF)
- Free and purchased advertising through social media, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter posts
- Information on METRO’s website
- Print ads in local daily and weekly publications
- Two digital billboards, and flyers on buses and posters at METRO’s transit center
- A radio ad on several local radio stations
- Two days before to the event, Stark State College promoted the event on their digital sign, readable from the expressway
- Four radio personalities from four different stations drove the bus two to three weeks prior to the event and promoted on the air, including one station that put together its own video.
- Television interviews that resulted in a full story and a variety of mentions of the event on other stations
- Creating two bus wraps with the pop art feel (see PDF below) on careers, though not event-specific
- Outreach to past applicants
- Videos of three in-house of staff driving for the first time, along with videos featuring County Executive and Representative Casey Weinstein, and an invite video from METRO’s CEO
- Event activities and design (see PDF of signage below)
- Participants were told to bring a valid driver’s license
- Four clearly-marked stations for applicants to go to where they had the opportunity to:
- Apply
- Interview
- Secure a mobility device
- Drive a bus
- Every applicant moved through all four stations
- At final stop, attendees received:
- Bag of information
- Swag
- Digital and paper copies of the CDL training booklet for them to start studying
- Event planning activities
- Started six to eight weeks before event
- Committee was made of HR, Marketing, Operations, Maintenance and Safety/Security
- Eighteen staff members worked the day of the event – five working check-in/applications, five doing on-site interviews, two working the mobility station, five running the “test drive” station, and one runner to move between all stations to relieve backlog
- Used seven 40 foot buses (2 spares) and 2 paratransit vehicles
Outcomes
- Ninety-nine event attendees interviewed and were able to test drive
- Twenty-five additional people applied who could not attend; follow up interviews were planned
- 71 of the 99 were moved through to a “contingent offer” pending background checks with a start date of September 26th
- Twenty-three of the 99 had areas of their application that required reviewing before proceeding
For more information on this event, contact: Jarrod Hampshire – Chief Operations Officer, METRO RTA 330.808.0144
More recruitment advertising materials and resources can be found here.
Recruiting and Retaining the Best: Transit Workforce Best Practices
This blog post from Transportation for America details successful strategies and best practices employed by transit agencies to empower their operator and maintenance workforces.
Transportation for America
September 2022
Transportation Learning Network (TLN)
The Transportation Learning Network (TLN) is part of an industry-wide effort aimed at strengthening transit training programs. It is designed and maintained by the International Transportation Learning Center, and provides a platform for accessing industry specific training materials – both for direct self-led online learning and also for download by trainers to use in a classroom or field settings.
Topics covered include maintenance of transit elevators and escalators, signals, railcar and traction power.
International Transportation Learning Center
September 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Safety and Health , Training and Development
Wire Women: Lighting it Up
This illustrated publication tells the stories of women who are undertaking apprenticeship to become union electricians. This resource could be used by transit agencies, unions, or apprenticeship programs as promotional material or for educational purposes.
Sharon Szymanski
September 2022
Advancing Racial Equity through Federally Funded Public Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Projects
This report provides data sources and tool to quantify racial equity and environmental justice in transportation-related projects. It also describes how the data can be used to speak to the equity priorities of grants available through the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act.
Urban Institute
September 2022
TOPICS: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Program Design Framework for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship
This framework offers employers and Registered Apprenticeship sponsors field-informed program design elements and considerations for building systems, processes, partnerships, and practices that can drive diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship programs.
Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning, Jobs for the Future
September 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Case Studies | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Transit Recruitment and Second Chance Programs
Several transit agencies across the country have established Second Chance programs to support formerly-incarcerated individuals as they reenter the workforce; these programs set pathways into frontline transit positions, often focusing on driver recruitment. These initiatives involve active collaboration between transit agencies and departments of corrections. Agencies have also worked with other partners, including their local unions, state and local workforce development agencies, ex-offender support programs, and local community organizations. Basic descriptions of some current state and local programs can be found at these links, discussing Chicago, Iowa, Oregon, and Indianapolis.
Transit Workforce Center
August 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Case Studies | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
IndyGo’s Website – Recruitment
The IndyGo transit agency, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, offers high-quality career information on its website. This resource summarizes effective elements of the career page.
IndyGo
August 2022
TOPICS: Career Pathways , Hiring and Recruitment
IndyGo’s career page helps site visitors to understand what it’s like to work at the agency and how to apply. The page also highlights key job benefits and emphasizes the opportunity to serve the community. Overall, the employment section of IndyGo’s website demonstrates a number of key communication elements that support effective outreach to potential applicants. These elements include:
- An easily accessible and identifiable section on the website. “Employment” has its own clickable category, not a subcategory that may be harder to locate.
- Clear statements about IndyGo’s mission, emphasizing community service, connection, and working together to make a difference in people’s lives. These messages attract a range of potential target audiences, and they make clear the difference between a public service career, as opposed to other careers applicants may be considering.
- A detailed list of benefits, with additional specific benefits for drivers noted. Among those benefits, the list includes unique aspects of the driver position that distinguishes it from other potentially competing careers (e.g., long-haul trucking), noting benefits such as “all local work.”
- Highlighted aspects of the driver position that emphasize the connection with and support provided to riders.
- A thoughtful list of questions for potential applicants to consider about themselves and the type of work they might want before they decide to move ahead with the application.
- Detailed information on how and where to apply, basics of how to prepare for and what to bring to an interview, and important specifics about the steps of the hiring process and initial orientation and training programs.
- IndyGo’s Why I Drive segment on their website includes a video featured in the National Frontline Workforce Recruitment Campaign Toolkit video library elsewhere on this website. That link on IndyGo’s website also features brief worker profiles, another summary of benefits, and a note on IndyGo’s Second Chance Initiative.
- IndyGo’s website includes a prominent option to translate the site into Spanish.
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Train-the-Trainer Level 1: Adult Learning Theory and Teaching Techniques
The International Transportation Learning Center’s week-long, highly engaging train the trainer course takes subject matter experts and gives them the skills to convey their vast knowledge to others in a classroom setting. Topics include: adult learning theory, teaching techniques and presentation skills. Participants will spend most of the week applying what they’re learning through rounds of practice teaching in a classroom, lab and field setting. They’ll also give and receive feedback from peers – one of the most important skills of a trainer!
Subsequent learning opportunities include Train-the-Trainer Level 2: Creating Courseware that Works.
International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC)
August 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Train-the-Trainer Level 2: Creating Courseware that Works
This week-long, interactive course, Train the Trainer Level 2, builds on Train the Trainer Level 1 by giving experienced trainers the skills to define, design and develop an effective and engaging training course and accompanying courseware and assessments, incorporating established adult learning principles. Participants apply this new knowledge by starting to develop materials for a course of their choosing, which would ultimately be taught at their location.
International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC)
August 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Fact Sheet | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Fact Sheet: Veterans in Registered Apprenticeship
This fact sheet provides an overview of how veteran-specific public benefits can be applied to support a veteran’s completion of a registered apprenticeship program. It also provides links to resources for more detailed information on apprenticeship resources for service members, employment resources for veterans, and more.
ApprenticeshipUSA
August 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
TWC Mentor Training
Overview: This workshop is designed for employees or journeyworkers designated as mentors to support on the job learning for apprenticeship programs. The content includes a review of mentor roles, an introduction to learning styles, and a facilitated discussion about communication and problem solving. The second half of the workshop includes role playing exercises for the participants to practice what they learned. The instructor leads the participants through a structured review of that experience and review of the mentoring concepts presented. The program acknowledges the wisdom of the mentors and encourages them to view themselves as ambassadors for the apprenticeship and advocates for the apprentices.
Please click to expand and follow the link below for additional details and to submit a mentor training request.
Transit Workforce Center
June 2022
Strategic Workforce Planning in Transit: Fundamentals of Mentoring
This is the third in the Transit Workforce Center’s webinar series on strategic workforce development planning in transit. Labor and management leaders from across the country discussed the impact of mentorship programs in their agencies.
A video recording of the webinar and the associated slides are attached below. Please follow the link below to view all past TWC webinars and to register for upcoming events.
Transit Workforce Center
June 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Retention , Trainer and Mentor Development
Mentor programs provide a powerful and effective tool for workforce development and retention. For maintenance occupations, mentors deliver hands-on training support, putting skills in diverse workplace contexts beyond the classroom. For bus operators, mentors provide guidance that addresses real world situations, building and expanding on basic training and creating ongoing support for each new operator. In every transit agency across all occupations, seasoned employees have stores of knowledge waiting to be shared. Without mentorship, this knowledge can be lost when workers retire or move on. A well-structured mentorship program, designed in partnership with the workers, ensure this expertise is passed on. Strong mentorship programs also provide mentors with leadership opportunities and mentees with the skills and confidence they need to succeed, increasing expertise and morale throughout the organization.
The Power of Partnership: Automotive Technology/Collision Career Technical Education Program
This multimedia case study details an internship program developed by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and Transport Workers Union Local 208. This resource contains a brief written summary, presentation slides, and video of a COTA-TWU Local 208 presentation. The entire June 7, 2022 TWC webinar, Recruiting and Developing Today’s Transit Workforce, can be found here. The complete webinar recording includes a question and answer session, beginning at 51:53, that covers more detail on this and other recruitment initiatives.
Transit Workforce Center, Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), & Transport Workers Union Local 208
June 2022
Summary:
To meet its need for vehicle maintenance technicians, COTA leadership partnered with TWU Local 208 and Columbus City Schools to provide a Vehicle Maintenance Internship Program, helping students already enrolled in an automotive program to develop additional technology competencies and prepare them for entry level positions. The COTA Vehicle Maintenance Internship Program provides career technical center high school students who have completed their junior year in a participating career-technical program the opportunity to work as paid interns in the Vehicle Maintenance Department at COTA. Students receive classroom training, hands-on training, laboratory experiences, and are partnered with mentors in preparation to enter the workforce as entry level automotive/collision technologies service technicians. From this foundation, COTA has now established a state-registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program to support vehicle technician hiring, retention, and workforce development.
Strategic Workforce Planning in Transit: Recruiting and Developing Today’s Transit Workforce
This is the second in the Transit Workforce Center’s webinar series on strategic workforce development planning in transit. The TWC’s first webinar examined workforce development for the incumbent workforce. This second webinar focuses on how transit agencies and partner organizations are working to meet the significant recruitment challenges across the country and how to best turn these challenges into opportunities to reach, attract, and retain a diverse workforce. Two transit agencies and their labor partners discuss their innovative outreach and recruitment programs–including mentoring, pre-apprenticeships, and community college partnerships–followed by a presentation from a national organization leader who has coordinated cross-sectoral recruitment initiatives with agencies across the U.S.
A video recording of the webinar and the associated slides are attached below (if you are on the main Resource Center page, click “Learn More” to view the video). Please follow the link below to view all past TWC webinars and to register for upcoming events.
Transit Workforce Center
June 2022
Strategic Workforce Planning in Transit: Developing, Supporting, and Strengthening Your Incumbent Workforce
This webinar, presented on April 27, 2022, explores important considerations and best practices for creating strong strategic workforce development plans.
FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez provided opening remarks, followed by insightful workforce development guidance and case examples from leading, experienced, and insightful presentations from IndyGo (Indianapolis IN), ATU International and Local 558, SporTran (Shreveport LA), TWU Local 100- NYCTA Training and Upgrading Fund (NYC), SEPTA (Philadelphia PA), and ProgressWorx.
It is the first in a series of TWC webinars on Strategic Workforce Planning.
A video recording of the webinar and the associated slides are attached below (if you are on the main Resource Center page, click “Learn More” to view the video). Please follow the link below to view all past TWC webinars and to register for upcoming events.
Transit Workforce Center
April 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Labor-Management Partnerships , Retention
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Higher Education Practices to Prepare Future Transportation Professionals Regarding Disability, Accessibility, and Mobility Management
This NCMM Information Brief, Higher Education Practices to Prepare Future Transportation Professionals Regarding Disability, Accessibility, and Mobility Management provides the results of a NCMM study regarding content in higher education preparation programs and offers recommendations regarding how to integrate disability-related content in preparation programs. The brief also includes recommendations regarding the recruitment and retention of individuals with disabilities into the transportation industry.
Please click the link below to view NCMM’s Mobility Management in Practice Series; this report is one of several 2022 publications listed.
National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
April 2022
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
A Guide to Starting or Joining a Registered Apprenticeship Program
This publication provides an overview of registered apprenticeship, the benefits of registered apprenticeships to the employer, and the basic steps to get started.
You can also consult with your state office on registered apprenticeship for technical assistance and support for questions on the apprenticeship model, guidance on each phase of developing a program, connections to training providers, and advice on available funding sources to support apprenticeships: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/about-us/state-offices
Intelligent Partnerships
April 2022
Policy Brief: Workforce Shortages Impacting Public Transportation Recovery
This recent report summarizes results from a survey APTA conducted with transit agencies in early 2022. The majority of responding agencies reported difficulties with hiring, with bus operator recruitment being the biggest challenge.
American Public Transportation Association
March 2022
TOPICS: Hiring and Recruitment
RESOURCE TYPE: Fact Sheet | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Transit Workforce Center
The Transit Workforce Center (TWC) is the Federal Transit Administration’s first ever national technical assistance center for transit workforce development. Its mission is to help urban, suburban, tribal, and rural public transportation entities recruit, hire, train, and retain the diverse workforce needed now and in the future.
This fact sheet summarizes the TWC’s mission, initiatives, and services.
Transit Workforce Center
March 2022
Invisible Disabilities in the Workplace
These two resources provide insight for employers into what “invisible” or “hidden” disabilities are, how to provide opportunities for employees to voluntarily disclose them, and how to support individuals with such disabilities to be successful in the workplace.
BetterUp; SHRM
February 2022
Improving Diversity and Inclusion Programs in Public Transportation
This webinar provides an overview of current diversity and inclusion efforts utilized by large, medium, and small public transportation agencies in the United States. Presenters highlight how agencies embed equity in operations and discuss policies that impact employees, local businesses, and community members. They also discuss a diversity and inclusion toolkit, which can be adapted to fit the contexts of any transit agency. At the end of this webinar, you will able to:
-Identify how to develop benchmarks to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion
-Determine methods for transit agencies to improve equity
The webinar features research from TCRP Research Report 228: Resource Guide for Improving Diversity and Inclusion Programs for the Public Transportation Industry.
Transportation Research Board (TRB)
February 2022
TOPICS: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2021 (Report 0209)
This statutorily required annual report provides information on FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314). It provides information on technical assistance, workforce development, standards, human resources, and training projects active in FY 2021. The report also includes information on FTA’s process for making upcoming allocations for FY 2022.
Federal Transit Administration
January 2022
TOPICS: General Workforce Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium (SCRTTC)
The SCRTTC is a provider of training for the public transit industry located in Southern California.
Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium (SCRTTC)
January 2022
TOPICS: Training and Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Managing the Labor Shortage at Transit Agencies
This article examines labor shortages in the public transit industry. It focuses on the following points:
- Transit agencies across the United States are experiencing a significant shortage in labor, that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened. This shortage is negatively impacting the services they provide to the public.
- Employees at transit agencies have a significantly higher median age than employees in other industries.
- Transit agencies should use data and information to consider recruiting and retaining employees for the long term.
Shared-Use Mobility Center
November 2021
TOPICS: Career Pathways , Hiring and Recruitment
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Identifying Current and Future Training Needs of the Public Transportation Industry (Report 0191)
This report documents a study commissioned by the National Transit Institute (NTI) as part of its work to address training needs. The study investigated skills gaps among the workforce of the U.S. public transportation industry, identified strategies to address those gaps, and explored approaches to more successfully recruit and retain the full spectrum of the transit workforce, from frontline to technical to professional staff.
Federal Transit Administration & National Transit Institute
June 2021
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2020 (Report 0180)
This statutorily required annual report provides information on FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314). It provides information on technical assistance, workforce development, standards, human resources, and training projects active in FY 2020. The report also includes information on FTA’s process for making upcoming allocations for FY 2021.
Federal Transit Administration
May 2021
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Inclusive Apprenticeship: A Summary of What We Know about Apprentices with Disabilities
This report summarizes current information on experiences of people with disabilities in apprenticeship, drawing on the research literature, interviews with experts on inclusive apprenticeship, and administrative and survey data. This report’s goal is to synthesize information about inclusive apprenticeship and provide insights about best practices to deepen both researchers’ and practitioners’ understanding.
Urban Institute
May 2021
Preparing for and Capturing Video Footage for Instructional Video
Digital and video instruction are two ways in which transit agencies can enhance their current training methods for their frontline employees. In a previous skill booster event, we showcased video editing software Filmora™. But before you can edit video, you need to capture it. As videography expert and the presenter of this session Kenyon Corbett says, “there is no replacement for good audio and video.”
This event used real world examples to demonstrate the Dos and Don’ts of capturing video and audio for instructional videos as well as outline how best to prepare for this process.
This is one of several skill booster events held by the International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC). Other webinars can be found by filtering by resource type.
International Transportation Learning Center
March 2021
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
The President’s National Advisory Council Workforce and Talent Management Study
An in-depth examination of the U.S workforce development system. The Education/Career Readiness Continuum graphic on page 11 of the report has particular applicability as agencies consider comprehensive workforce development plans.
National Infrastructure Advisory Council
March 2021
APTA Transit Workforce Readiness Guide
APTA’s Transit Workforce Readiness Guide is a highly interactive and easy-to-use online resource for executives and their staff to assist organizations in building a more diverse talent pipeline by attracting high school students, especially those coming from underserved communities, into entry-level transit positions.
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
March 2021
Here to Stay: Black, Latina, and Afro-Latina Women in Construction Trades Apprenticeships and Employment
Chicago Women in the Trades & Institute for Women's Policy Research
March 2021
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
TCRP Research Report 228: Resource Guide for Improving Diversity and Inclusion Programs for the Public Transportation Industry
Examines industry diversity programs, including how inclusion has been incorporated, and what policies, plans, and practices have been successfully implemented.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2021
TCRP Research Report 225: A Pandemic Playbook for Transportation Agencies
TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program and Transit Cooperative Research Program have jointly issued NCHRP Research Report 963/TCRP Research Report 225: A Pandemic Playbook for Transportation Agencies, which was created to improve transportation agency responses to a pandemic.
The Playbook concentrates on what needs to be done, when and by whom. It briefly addresses planning for a pandemic, a topic addressed in greater depth in NCHRP Report 769: A Guide for Public Transportation Pandemic Planning and Response. It summarizes effective practices currently used by transportation agencies based on interviews with state departments of transportation and transit agency leaders and operational personnel, supplemented with national and international research results.
The Playbook contains several sections focused on the transit workforce, including Chapter 4, “Challenges,” and the “Employee Impact” section of Chapter 5.
National Cooperative Highway Research Program and Transit Cooperative Research Program
January 2021
TOPICS: Safety and Health , Training and Development
Creating and Editing Instructional Videos to Engage Learners
Beyond the traditional classroom environment, one way transit trainers can enhance delivery is through video instruction. This recorded webinar demonstrates Filmora™, an affordable and easy-to-use platform that helps you create video instruction modules.
This is one of several skill booster events held by the International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC). Other webinars can be found by filtering by resource type.
International Transportation Learning Center
November 2020
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2019 (Report 0168)
This statutorily required annual report provides information on FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314). This annual report provides information on any technical assistance, workforce development, standards, human resources, and training projects active in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.
Federal Transit Administration
July 2020
Integrating eLearning in Transit Frontline Learning
In this webinar, guest speaker Ron Thiele, Xpan Interactive, presented on ways in which some transit organizations use eLearning.
This is one of several skill booster events held by the International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC). Other webinars can be found by filtering by resource type.
International Transportation Learning Center
May 2020
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Advancing Frontline Workforce Development Meeting: Synthesis
This report synthesizes findings from a two-day gathering of more than two dozen transit industry labor and management representatives who engaged in in-depth discussions on frontline workforce training needs across the U.S. The purpose of the meeting was to identify immediate, short-term, and long-term training needs for the frontline public transportation workforce in the U.S. and ways to connect apprenticeship and formal training programs to support these needs.
National Transit Institute and Federal Transit Administration
February 2020
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2015: Summative Evaluation (Report-0153)
This report provides the results of an evaluation of Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program projects awarded in Fiscal Year 2015. Based on a competitive application process, FTA awarded 16 workforce development projects to transit authorities, higher education institutions, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations individually or as a consortium.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2020
TCRP Synthesis 147: Attracting, Retaining, and Advancing Women in Transit
Explores the strategies that have been deployed in transit and other related industries in order to attract, retain, and advance women in a variety of roles.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2020
Apprenticeship is a Win-Win for Workers and Employers
Two case studies of apprenticeship programs highlight different approaches to this tried and true workforce model.
National Fund for Workforce Solutions
December 2019
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Building a Business Case for Increasing Diversity in the Transportation Workforce
This TR News article describes the importance of cultivating diversity in the transportation industry. It describes the current and future state of diversity in the country and workforce at large, and reviews existing research on the workplace benefits of diversity. It also provides several strategies for fostering diversity in the transportation industry and examples of transit stakeholders that have used those strategies.
Stephanie Ivey, Meredith Powers, and Adriana Clark
October 2019
TOPICS: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program: Key Lessons Learned (Report 0139)
This report summarizes the impacts and lessons learned of individual project models, identifies transit workforce needs, and develops recommendations for the continuation or improvement of FTA’s workforce development efforts and investments.
Federal Transit Administration
September 2019
Training and Apprenticeships to Address Transit Workforce Gaps
It is well known that public transit in the United States faces a workforce skills crisis. A lot of attention — properly — goes to training for skilled craft positions, like bus mechanics. Bus operators also do skilled work, and there are a lot more of them. This piece explores the role of training and apprenticeship programs in meeting workforce needs in transit, with a focus on operators.
Eno Center for Transporation
August 2019
Tool for Measuring the Cost of Turnover
This Cost of Turnover Tool is a simple, “back of the envelope” calculator to help estimate how much it costs to replace staff. The tool can be useful for transit agencies looking to understand the costs of a low retention rate, or those looking to calculate the return-on-investment of mentoring or apprenticeship programs.
Aspen Institute
March 2019
TOPICS: Program Evaluation and ROI , Retention
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Attracting and Retaining Women in the Transportation Industry
Examines recruitment and retention strategies and emphasizes importance of community-orientation and mentoring.
Mineta Transportation Institute
February 2019
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2018 (Report 0132)
This annual report to Congress provides information on Fiscal Year 2018 technical assistance, standards, human resources and training projects to improve public transportation as authorized by federal public transportation law (49 U.S.C. § 5314). The report also includes information on FTA’s process for making allocations for FY 2019.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2019
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2012: Summative Evaluation (Report 0128)
This report provides the results of the Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program Evaluation of projects awarded in Fiscal Year 2012. FTA awarded a total of $7,048,898 for 16 workforce development projects. Recipients included transit authorities, higher education institutions, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2019
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
ATU Setting the Standard for Transit Apprenticeships
This article summarizes ATU’s and the International Transportation Learning Center’s (ITLC’s) efforts to promote transportation mentorship and apprenticeship program development.
Amalgamated Transit Union
September 2018
Equity from the Frontline: Workers’ Insight and Leadership Supports a Network of Apprenticeships in Transit
Equity in Apprenticeship is a report series from COWS at UW-Madison. It highlights programs that use apprenticeship and mentorship to extend occupational opportunity to historically marginalized groups, especially people of color and women. In California, the Joint Workforce Investment in the South Bay Valley Transportation Authority has developed a web of apprenticeships and advancement opportunities.
COWS at University of Wisconsin
August 2018
TCRP Research Report 199: Transit Technical Training (Volumes 1 & 2)
TCRP Research Report 199: Transit Technical Training is a two-volume set that presents guidance on technical training programs and the implementation of those for transportation agencies.
The report’s first volume, Guide to Applying Best Practices and Sharing Resources, documents the best models of technical training programs serving U.S. and international transportation agencies and related industries.
The second volume, Guide to Overcoming Barriers to Implementing Best and Innovative Training, provides public transportation agencies with best practices, strategies, and resources to assist with the implementation of effective and innovative training programs and techniques for frontline employees.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2018
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Safety and Health , Training and Development
TCRP Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies explores the importance of knowledge management (KM), which is an organization’s process for collecting, storing, and sharing organizational information and knowledge, and provides guidance on implementing KM strategies in transit agencies. In addition, the guidance includes action plans for developing particular aspects of KM, analysis of KM strategies at several transit agencies, and a catalog of KM technology tools and resources.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2018
RESOURCE TYPE: Fact Sheet | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Training for New Technologies – workshop slides
Slide presentation from “Training for New Technologies” workshop held during the International Transportation Learning Center’s Making Connections conference held on October, 26, 2017.
International Transportation Learning Center
October 2017
TCRP Synthesis 126: Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 126: Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies documents current practices and training initiatives, including bus operator training and retraining programs that have been effective in reducing accidents and incidents at transit agencies. The study also focuses on other system approaches that have been implemented to address safety hazards. These approaches include various technology applications, infrastructure modifications, and programs and initiatives such as driver incentive programs and close call/near miss reporting.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2017
TOPICS: Safety and Health , Training and Development
Troops to Transit: A Resource for Recruiting and Developing Veterans for Public Transportation Careers
The International Transportation Learning Center’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data has shown that the transportation industry in large will likely see a massive front-line labor shortage in the next ten years unless it is able to find and hire skilled workers. In fact, it is estimated that 126 percent of today’s transit workforce will have to be hired and trained in the next ten years.
In order to help fill this need, the center has produced a Veterans Crosswalk tool (see Excel document below) which matches skill-sets learned during military service with the kinds of skills that public transportation agencies look for when hiring signals maintainers. This product was produced in cooperation with a Veterans Taskforce made up of veterans who are also Subject Matter Experts in the field of Signals Maintenance. This detailed matrix has been distilled down into a user-friendly Veteran’s Factsheet (see PDF below) which provides at-a-glance information for both veterans interested in a signals career and for agencies looking to hire skilled veterans.
The tool is accompanied by a summary report.
International Transportation Learning Center
November 2016
TCRP Report 184: Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets
This report identifies existing tools and practices used to determine optimum maintenance technician staffing levels. The report also provides an analysis of variables that influence maintenance technician staffing needs.
A Microsoft Excel calculator is also available, along with a user guide and case study.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
August 2016
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2011 Report (0094)
This report provides the results of the Innovative Transit Workforce Program Evaluation of projects awarded in fiscal year 2011. The evaluation was conducted via review of updates and final report submitted by grantees and telephone interviews with grantees.
Federal Transit Administration
April 2016
A Guide for the Development of Career Pathways in Transportation
This Guide outlines the steps that transportation industry stakeholders can take to develop or expand Career Pathways to focus on the skills, competencies, and credentials needed for high-demand jobs in the transportation industry and its subsectors.
U.S. Department of Education (OCTAE), Jobs for the Future, International Transportation Learning Center
December 2015
RESOURCE TYPE: Case Studies | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
From Operator to Chief – One Employee’s Story
A description of King County DOT’s program for recruitment and advancement options for current employees, with an emphasis on diversity, along with one employees’ story about how he was supported in his journey from bus operator to Base Chief.
King County DOT
October 2015
TOPICS: Career Pathways , Retention , Training and Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Strengthening Skills Training and Career Pathways Across the Transportation Industry
STRENGTHENING SKILLS TRAINING AND CAREER PATHWAYS ACROSS THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY: Data Report on Future Transportation Workforce Needs.
The collection and analysis of employment and skills data highlights the future growth areas and employment “hot spots” in transportation by industry subsectors, occupations, career areas, and geographic areas. It also emphasizes the need for skills training and career pathways across the transportation industry. The report identifies high-demand jobs with good wages, and analyzes the patterns in the education and work experience required for entry, as well as on-the-job training required for new entrants to gain full competency.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education
August 2015
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Hiring and Recruitment
Preventing and Mitigating Transit Worker Assaults in the Bus and Rail Transit Industry
On October 28th and 29th, 2014, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Administrator tasked the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) with developing recommendations for FTA on the elements that should comprise a Safety Management System (SMS) approach to preventing and mitigating transit worker assaults. Representatives from state and local transportation agencies, labor unions, research organizations, and national transportation associations worked together to create recommendations for FTA to prevent assaults against transit workers. These recommendations address each aspect of the SMS approach, including policy, risk management, safety promotion, and safety assurance.
Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS)
July 2015
TOPICS: Retention , Safety and Health
TCRP Report 181: Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit
This toolkit provides resources for public transportation management and labor union leaders to establish, manage, and improve labor–management partnerships.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2015
TCRP Report 178: A National Training and Certification Program for Transit Vehicle Maintenance Instructors
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 178: A National Training and Certification Program for Transit Vehicle Maintenance Instructors provides a proposed national program structure and plan for training and certifying transit bus and rail maintenance instructors. The report also provides best practices used in the public and private sectors to prepare and certify technical instructors, as well as the attributes and instructional delivery methods found most effective for maintenance instructors.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2015
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
TCRP Report 181: Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 2: Final Report
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 181: Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 2: Final Report, documents the materials used to develop Volume 1: Toolkit. Volume 1 provides resources for public transportation management and labor union leaders to establish, manage, and improve labor–management partnerships.
The toolkit (Volume 1) can be found on the TWC Resource Center as a separate entry, or by following the link below.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2015
National Apprenticeship Guidelines for Transit Elevator-Escalator Maintenance Technician
The purpose of these National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards (National Guideline Standards) is to provide policy and guidance to local Sponsors in developing these Standards for Apprenticeship for local approval and registration. These National Guideline Standards developed by the Sponsor are certified by the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship as substantially conforming to the requirements of Title 29, CFR parts 29 and 30. State Apprenticeship Agencies recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship to register local programs, and/or local laws and regulations, may impose additional requirements that must be addressed in the local apprenticeship standards.
International Transportation Learning Center & National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC)
January 2014
TOPICS: Apprenticeship
Pathways to Equity: Effective Transportation Career Partnerships
Expanding access to quality careers in transit systems and in transit capital construction has been the focus of innovative local programs around the country in recent years. This report presents case profiles of two of the most promising examples – one for youth Career Pathways into transit industry careers, and one for targeted construction hiring and training of disadvantaged workers for transit capital projects. This report focuses on two local case profiles for transit Career Pathways: a Project Labor Agreement in Los Angeles providing expanded access to jobs and training for public transportation capital construction, and a youth Career Pathways partnership in Philadelphia linking career and technical education with future transit careers. Both of these models, if taken to scale in the transit industry, can have positive impacts, locally and nationally, for improving access to family-sustaining careers and training and for improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged groups – urban low-income and minority groups as well as women – who have previously been under-represented in these occupations.
International Transportation Learning Center
December 2013
Promoting Employment in Transit Construction Projects by Members of Minority and Low Income Communities (Report 0080)
This report summarizes research investigating the participation of members of low-income and minority populations in employment generated by transit projects and identifies practices to increase their participation. It features four in-depth case studies of light rail projects.
Federal Transit Administration
July 2013
TCRP Report 162: Building a Sustainable Workforce in the Public Transportation Industry—A Systems Approach
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 162: Building a Sustainable Workforce in the Public Transportation Industry—A Systems Approach provides a guidebook that addresses contemporary issues in workforce development, retention, and attraction, and public transportation image management.
The guidebook provides practical tools to transit agencies on a variety of workforce issues including workforce strategies that enhance organizational processes, performance metrics to evaluate the impact of workforce strategies, image management techniques that improve perceptions of the public transportation industry, and benchmarking processes that allow for continuous organizational improvement.
The guidebook is separated into modules that may be used independently or together in the form of the fully integrated guidebook.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2013
TOPICS: Hiring and Recruitment , Retention , Training and Development
Transit Maintenance Mentoring Guidebook
The purpose of this report is to serve as a guidebook, offering information that transit agencies can use to establish mentoring as a training method with guidance, suggestions, and examples to implement or expand upon existing mentoring programs. It is based on a generic mentoring guidebook developed by the USDOT, modified and enhanced to reflect transit maintenance applications.
International Transportation Learning Center
November 2012
Transit Green Jobs Training Partnership
The Department of Labor selected the Transportation Learning Center as a Green Jobs funds recipient because the Center has been at the forefront of addressing the issue of insufficient training in the transit industry and building constructive partnerships between labor and management to address this critical issue. The grant succeeded in creating new training approaches and providing training to thousands of workers in key transit occupations, with a consistent focus on greening the economy and our communities.
The Green Jobs Training Partnership is built on the Center’s successful model of creating and supporting labor-management partnerships to plan and deliver transit training that provides instruction based on national standards. The Partnerships plan and carry out training, to help transit employees obtain the skills they need to stay current in an industry that is ever changing.
International Transportation Learning Center
August 2012
TOPICS: Training and Development
Method and Processes for Transit Training Metrics and Return on Investment
This guidebook was developed by the ITLC to help transit agencies determine benefits and return on investment (ROI) stemming from their training programs.
International Transportation Learning Center
September 2011
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Dialogue for Women in Blue-Collar Transportation Careers
Short summary report on unique challenges and recommendations regarding women in blue-collar positions in transportation.
US Dept. of Transportation
September 2011
Quality Training Pays: Training Investment Pays for Itself Six Times Over
You never know how well you are doing until you find metrics with which you can measure outcomes. The Transportation Learning Center has capitalized on this insight through a series of in-depth research reports chronicling work by labor-management partnerships in Philadelphia, PA and Albany, NY. This fact sheet outlines these findings and shows a substantial return on training investment.
International Transportation Learning Center
June 2011
TCRP Research Results Digest 100: Professional Certification and Credentialing Program for the Transit Industry
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Research Results Digest 100: Professional Certification and Credentialing Program for the Transit Industry explores the findings of a literature review and a gap analysis of the efficacy of four transit-specific professional development programs. The report also examines potential strategies that might be used to deploy and maintain a transit industry certification and credentialing program.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
April 2011
TOPICS: Career Pathways , Retention , Training and Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Learning by Doing: Hands-On Training for Transportation Technicians
Today, formal training is absolutely essential to produce technicians capable of providing safe, efficient and cost-effective transport services. The consequences of jeopardizing passenger and public safety are just too great to turn inexperienced workers loose on advanced transit vehicles without proper training, hoping they will learn “as they go.” The question becomes how best to construct an effective training program. This paper, from the International Transportation Learning Center, examines the subject of technical training and advocates “learning by doing” as an essential element to acquiring needed technical knowledge and skills. It stands to reason that someone attracted to becoming a technician is interested in working with their hands. Training, therefore, should make use of that natural inclination and engage students in hands-on activities throughout the entire learning process.
International Transportation Learning Center
April 2010
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Training and Development
Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success
The Metrics of Success series chronicles measurable outcomes, in particular return on investment, of transit training partnerships in which the International Transportation Learning Center has had a substantial role. Each Metrics report focuses on quantitative data from a specific partnership, while Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success is an overview of key findings from all Metrics reports to date.
Related reports can be found by following the link below.
International Transportation Learning Center
February 2010
Training Partnerships That Work: An Emerging National Network
Training Partnerships That Work provides vivid summaries of successful labor-management training partnerships at sites across the country. The cases included here represent a diverse set of transit systems and unique training partnerships. Most importantly, they illustrate how labor and management can work together successfully on issues of training, and provide valuable lessons for other industries facing the problem of retiring baby boomers and inadequate capacity to train replacement workers.
International Transportation Learning Center
February 2010
Electrical Standards Fundamentals
A document of electrical safety standards and fundamentals. The fundamentals include Electrons, Static Electricity, and Magnetic fields. It also covers how power is transmitted to buildings through the power grid and how grounding is built into delivery systems.
International Transportation Learning Center
January 2010
RESOURCE TYPE: Fact Sheet | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Transit Partnership Pays: Working Together – Everybody Wins
This report highlights the evidence that the most successful, cost efficient and durable training systems come from industry based labor-management partnerships.
International Transportation Learning Center
September 2009
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Labor-Management Partnerships
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Jointly Sponsored Training Systems In American Industries
This paper examines recent developments in credentialing in jointly sponsored training and qualifications systems across the United States. This paper builds on previous work on building trades joint apprenticeship and training programs, which describes their structure and activities and documents their superior performance over programs unilaterally operated by employers. Jointly sponsored training programs are not common in the U.S., but strong programs are found in the building trades where they serve important roles in preparing and qualifying the skilled craft workers.
International Transportation Learning Center (with Robert W. Glover, the University of Texas at Austin)
February 2009
Working Together: A Systems Approach for Transit Training
Transit faces a critical skills challenge driven by changing technologies, shifting workforce demographics and record-breaking growth in ridership.
Working Together: A Systems Approach for Transit Training outlines how constructive training partnerships provide the most effective way for the transit industry to address its skill challenges. National labor-management committees have met regularly for several years to develop consensus training guidelines. These joint committees have been focusing on five transit maintenance occupations: bus, rail signals, traction power, rail vehicles and elevator/escalator. A parallel joint effort has been crafting a national framework for transit apprenticeship.
International Transportation Learning Center
January 2009
Building an Apprenticeship and Training System for Maintenance Occupations
This article discusses the joint training and apprenticeship system emerging in maintenance occupations in the American transit industry, its challenges and strategies to overcome them. The article reports on early results, including efforts to develop a consensus national framework for apprenticeship and training in transit maintenance.
International Transportation Learning Center (with Robert W. Glover, the University of Texas at Austin)
January 2009
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Training and Development
Building Capacity for Transit Training: International and Domestic Comparisons
This working paper provides an initial overview of the findings from ongoing research at the Transportation Learning Center regarding strong industry-wide workforce development systems in six other countries and in several US industries.
International Transportation Learning Center
December 2008
TCRP Research Results Digest 88: Innovative Practices in Transit Workforce Development
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Research Results Digest 88: Innovative Practices in Transit Workforce Development examines innovative practices in workforce development in several cities in Canada, France, and Belgium.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
June 2008
Metrics of Success Series
The Metrics of Success series chronicles measurable outcomes, in particular return on investment, of transit training partnerships in which the International Transportation Learning Center has had a substantial role. Each Metrics report focuses on quantitative data from a specific partnership, while Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success is an overview of key findings from all Metrics reports to date.
International Transportation Learning Center
May 2008
Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success – Expanded Edition
Smart Investment Partnership: New York State's Transit Workforce Training Proves its Worth
Measuring Up: Keystone Training Partnership – Vol. 1
Measuring Up: Keystone Training Partnership – Vol. 2
Keystone – Making a Difference in Pennsylvania Transit
Keystone – Pennsylvania Transit on the High Road
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Developing a Joint System of Training and Apprenticeship in American Transit
Transit systems in the United States are facing unprecedented challenges in obtaining the workforce skills in maintenance departments to address pervasive technological changes, to replace an impending wave of retirements of “baby boom” workers, and to accommodate significant growth in transit ridership. Several new technologies have been driving change in the transit industry, especially advanced electronics used in controls for engines, transmissions, or brakes and in all aspects of communications, including global positioning satellite (GPS) systems. Many technologies such as electronic fare cards, automatic vehicle location (AVL) supporting real-time information systems, and new transit rail lines have increased customer convenience and led directly to growing ridership. In addition, environmental concerns are driving adoption of new clean propulsion technologies. Earlier innovations such as compressed natural gas are being augmented by cleaner-burning diesel and hybrid gas-electric and diesel-electric propulsion systems. Prospects are for continued changes; biodiesel, hydrogen, ultra-clean diesel and fuel cell power are on the horizon.
This paper reviews training innovations and lessons that may be applicable to the transit industry from practices used in other industries. It draws on a rich body of experience of joint apprenticeship and training programs, as well as employer-sponsored training.
International Transportation Learning Center (with Robert W. Glover, the University of Texas at Austin)
September 2007
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Training and Development
People Make the Hardware Work: Transit Experts Call for Labor-Management Training Partnerships
This short piece outlines five tools for success in labor-management training partnerships:
1. Unions as Partners
2. A Joint Training Strategy
3. Empowering the Workforce
4. Cultivating a Learning Organization
5. Reaching High Performance
International Transportation Learning Center & TCRP
March 2007
TCRP Report 103: Public Transportation Operating Agencies as Employers of Choice
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 103: Public Transportation Operating Agencies as Employers of Choice documents principles, techniques, and strategies that are used in workforce recruitment, development, and retention.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2004
Pennsylvania Transit on the High Road
This report is part of a larger case study that chronicles the development of the Keystone Transit Career Ladder Partnership, including the process of job task/work task analysis, skills gap analysis, and data-driven training development.
International Transportation Learning Center
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Electrified Transportation Pro+ Training and Certification Program
The objective of the Electrified Transportation Pro+ program is to ensure that all individuals across all transportation industries are trained in Electrified Vehicle Systems and Technologies consistently to one standard. The training is completed in preparation to perform the practical and written exams for earning the corresponding Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Certifications.
Electrified Transportation Pro+
RESOURCE TYPE: Publications | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Training for Transportation Technicians: Which Delivery Methods Work Best?
This paper explores the question “what is the most effective way to train transportation technicians?” It proposes a blended approach combining classroom time with interactive hands-on demonstrations, followed by structured on-the-job training (OJT) and mentoring.
International Transportation Learning Center
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Training and Development
RESOURCE TYPE: Training Programs | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology
Funded by the FTA, this center serves to bring education to transit agencies looking to establish or increase their zero-emission fleets and technologies. Course Offerings:
• Leadership and Employee Relations
• Zero Emission Bus Overview
• Zero Emission Bus Operations
• Zero Emission Bus Maintenance
• Financial Management
• Zero Emission Bus Procurement
• Zero Emission Bus Policies and Regulations
• Planning for ZEB Operation
SunLine Transit Agency
Moving Forward: Toward Women’s Equity and Inclusion in the Rail and Transit Sector
A toolkit for increasing women’s employment in Traditionally male dominated high-wage, high-skill fields on the railroad and in public transit agencies.
International Transportation Learning Center and Chicago Women in the Trades
RESOURCE TYPE: Case Studies | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Joint Workforce Investment (JWI) Program
The Joint Workforce Investment (JWI), established in 2006, is a joint labor management partnership between the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 (ATU). Both organizations operate together as one “JWI” team. Three primary programs were brought together under the JWI initiative: the Maintenance Career Ladders Training Project (MCLTP), New Operator/Mentor Pilot Project, and Health and Wellness Project. This case study reviews details of the programs and data on their benefits.
ICF International
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Notice of Funding Opportunity: Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE)
Administering Agency: Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Closing Date for Applications: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis
Funding Range: $73.5M available total
Geographic Scope: Regional
Description: ARISE is an ARC initiative that aims to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multistate, collaborative projects across Appalachia.
With the additional funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, ARC launched ARISE to strengthen Appalachian business and industry, and to grow and support the development of new opportunities across multiple states.
Posted January 20, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Notice of Funding Opportunity: Workforce Pathways for Youth
Administering Agency: US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Closing Date for Applications: May 19, 2023 – applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
Estimated Total Program Funding: $15,000,000
Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
Geographic Scope: National
Description: Workforce Pathways for Youth demonstration grants support national out-of-school time (OST) organizations that serve historically underserved and marginalized youth ages 14 to 21. These grants will place an emphasis on age-appropriate workforce readiness programming to expand job training and workforce pathways for youth living in rural areas, including soft skill development, career exploration, job readiness and certification, and workbased learning opportunities and other work experiences, such as summer jobs, year-round job opportunities, and pre-apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships. Funding will also support partnerships between workforce development boards and youth-serving out-of-school time organizations in order to scale up a coordinated and systemic approach to work and learning opportunities for youth across the country.
Posted March 21, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Funding Opportunity: FY23 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) Technical Assistance Grant Program
Administering Agency: Department of Labor – Women’s Bureau
Closing Date for Applications: May 29, 2023
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
Estimated Total Program Funding: $5,000,000
Award Ceiling: $750,000
Award Floor: $350,000
Geographic Scope: National
This program aims to provide technical assistance (TA) to employers (which may include public sector entities) and labor unions in the United States and its territories to encourage employment of women in both apprenticeable occupations and nontraditional occupations (A/NTO), specifically in the following ways:
- Developing (establishing, expanding, and/or enhancing) pre-apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, Registered Apprenticeship (as defined in Appendix B “Acronyms and Definitions”), or other nontraditional skills training programs designed to prepare women for careers in A/NTO;
- Providing ongoing orientations or other resources for employers, unions, and workers on creating a successful environment for women in A/NTO; and/or
- Setting up support groups, facilitating networks, and/or providing supportive services (as defined in section IV.E.3) for women in A/NTO to improve their retention.
Posted April 19, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Notice of Funding Opportunity: Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 5: A Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions
Administering Agency: Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration
Closing Date for Applications: Jun 13, 2023
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
Estimated Total Program Funding: $44,200,000
Award Ceiling: $1,500,000
Award Floor: $150,000
Geographic Scope: Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions
Description: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $44,200,000 in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for the fifth round of Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative demonstration grants. The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. Questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) may be emailed to DOL-ETA-DWG@dol.gov. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA.
Posted April 19, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.
RESOURCE TYPE: Funding Opportunity | TRANSIT MODE: All Modes
Critical Sector Job Quality Grants
Administering Agency: Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration
Closing Date for Applications: July 17, 2023
Estimated Total Program Funding: $15,000,000
Award Ceiling: $3,000,000
Geographic Scope: National
Description: The purpose of this demonstration program is to support transformative efforts to improve job quality and availability of good jobs, particularly for the benefit of historically marginalized populations and communities that have experienced barriers to employment in good jobs. The primary focus of these demonstration grants is expanding job quality in the care, climate resiliency and clean energy transition, and hospitality sectors. In the transit industry, these funds could support job quality for those operating and/or maintaining zero-emission buses. These demonstration grants will support industry-led, worker-centered sector strategies built through labor-management partnerships aimed at improving job quality in key sectors. These partnerships will address equity, job quality, and worker voice as they design training models and train workers for family-supporting jobs. Projects under this announcement will fund both short-term capacity-building planning grants and longer-term implementation grants.
Posted May 18, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.