For several years, APTA has addressed significant workforce challenges facing the public transportation industry across North America - retirement of baby-boom era employees, a generally tight labor market, increasing technological requirement across job functions, and growing diversity of the workforce. The industry faces a critical shortage of skilled and seasoned employment as thousands of workers from the baby-boom generation near retirement over the next 5 - 10 years. Based on research, strategies for attracting Generation X, Y and Millennium to jobs and careers in public transportation, particularly "green" sector jobs, are key to our future competitiveness, growth and sustainability as an industry.
APTA Workforce Development Blue Ribbon Panel
APTA Chair Dr. Beverly A. Scott has identified workforce development as one of her priorities for 2008 - 2009. APTA's TransitVision 2050 report and authorization recommendations approved during the Annual Meeting & EXPO 2008 in San Diego highlight workforce development tenets. As APTA has been fully engaged over the course of this year advancing the association's authorization recommendations; developing specific actions to implement recommendations on the vision; and beginning work on its next five-year strategic plan, this is a prime opportunity to reivew and address current and future issues that impact workforce development for our industry. APTA's TransitVision 2050 highlights the importance of public transportation's future workforce.
Dr. Scott has established a one-year, blue ribbon panel on workforce development representing the public and private sectors of the public transportation industry, key stakeholders and partners, including labor, academia, and the next generation of leaders in our association.
The panel, with a wide array of experience and expertise, is charged with:
- Reviewing the research and recommendations of the earlier workforce development initiative;
- Identifying gaps, new opportunities, programs and services geared to helping to create and sustain a stronger, vibrant, and efficient and effective workforce; and
- Defining APTA's role in providing ongoing support to members and the industry on these issues.
The blue ribbon panel has organized its work program into six (6) focus areas
Immediate Issues focuses on advancing APTA's authorization recommendations, potential impact of the economic recovery and reinvestment act and other legislative proposals highlighting workforce development issues.
Image/Branding focuses on improving the image of public transportation as a career; promoting "green" sector jobs; making the business case for workforce development; and conducting a scan of available workforce development resources, best practices, etc.
Higher Education addresses the role of universities, transportation research centers, community colleges and technical schools in providing the pipeline for public transportation careers, and focuses on leveraging opportunities for development of core curricula in universities and community colleges.
Youth Outreach and Awareness Programs focuses on how best to prepare the next generation of leaders within the public transportation industry, including key programs, activities and partnerships for grades K - 12.
Partnerships/Collaborations to enhance training and educational opportunities for current and future workforce; focus on labor-management partnerships; regional training consortiums; and opportunities for public and private partnerships on workforce development, etc.
Performance Metrics/Return on Investment (ROI)/Benchmarking Programs to establish industry-developed models that measure the ROI on workforce development, training, etc., and a regular benchmarking program.
The blue ribbon panel is charged with developing immediate, short-term, mid-term and longer term (five years and beyond) action plans. The unified multi-year work program will be presented to the APTA Executive Committee in October 2009.
Suggested Resources
- Workforce Development: Public Transportation's Blueprint for the 21st Century, APTA, September 2001 (TCRP Research Results Digest 45: Identification of the Critical Workforce Development Issues in the Transit Industry) Proj J-6, Task 38, 2001.
- Workforce Development Publications and Current Projects of the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
- Engaging, Recognizing and Developing the MTA Workforce, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, November 2007.
- Leadership: The Next Generation, 2007 Leadership APTA Class, October 2007
- Working Together: A Systems Approach for Transit Training, Transportation Learning Center
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