In response to workforce challenges across almost all transit agencies, the Mineta Transportation Institute released a report identifying methods and initiatives to building the industry’s workforce.
In a 2022 survey, 96 percent of transit agencies reported experiencing workforce challenges. Another 84 said those challenges were impacting their ability to provide services. MTI announced last week it had studied the issue and determined new methods and pathways to building a workforce pipeline in several reports: “The Indirect Benefits of a Transit Apprenticeship and its Potential Value as a Flexible Postsecondary Pathway;” “L&D On-ramps and Off-ramps for the Mobility Workforce: A Blueprint for Knowledge Ecosystem Formation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution;” and “Transforming Middle School Workforce Development for 21st-Century Education.”
One possible solution, the institute said, is embracing apprenticeships as a way to approach training. The report cited the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Joint Workforce Initiative (JWI) and its apprenticeships that emphasize offer employees the chance to develop “cross-cutting competencies. The report noted the apprenticeships offer affordable and portable training options that could be further developed and be used across the industry.
Additionally, the institute looked at pilot programs within higher education, that look at the benefits of university-industry partnerships for building talent pipelines. And lastly, the institute highlighted the benefits of starting pipelines in middle school. Through its Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition, the institute is able to look at workforce development initiative with fresh eyes and foster meaningful connections and practical learning, officials said.
The ongoing transportation workforce crisis requires innovation and strategic investment, the institute said, and the recent reports show several promising programs that the industry can use to further develop their workforce.