Dr. Stephanie Ivey, director, Southeast Transportation Workforce Center, discussed the importance of reaching students and parents.

“It’s not just students who never give a thought to transit or transportation as a possible career: Their parents don’t have a clue about the industry either. And that’s a shame because the SETWC’s research has shown that students say their parents have more influence than peers, counselors or teachers when they’re making decisions about their education and careers.”

In working with the Girls Experiencing Engineering summer program and securing support for the Transportation-STEM Academy in Memphis, Ivey has learned the importance of correcting the misunderstandings many parents have about what a career in transportation might mean for their children.

Read the article on page 20 of APTA’s Transit Workforce Readiness Guide.