Developing the Transit Workforce: A Strategic Approach to Growing the Talent Acquisition Ecosystem (Leadership APTA)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the Transportation Industry's labor market, which was already facing significant challenges. With over 430,000 individuals employed in the transit sector, the task of retaining, attracting, and nurturing the transit workforce remains a formidable challenge.  As we mitigate the immediate effects of the current labor shortage, the transportation industry must simultaneously plan for long-term strategies to attract new talent in the years to come. 

The encouraging news is that opportunity is upon us!  Generation Alpha (born 2010-2024) is reshaping the future workforce landscape, and it’s essential that we engage them now.

This capstone project explores ways that transit organizations can influence the candidate pipeline of tomorrow, today.  This can be achieved through the implementation of collaborative and developmentally suitable early education programs that:

• Spark the imaginations of young individuals when they envision careers in transit.
• Engage today's youth in environments they currently inhabit—schools, communities, gaming platforms, and social media.
• Transform your agency to align with the diversity and equity standards of this emerging generation.

Project Team:

• Tiffani Jenkins (Coordinator) WMATA
• Amy Barry (Coordinator) MV Transportation, Inc.
• Khisha Dukes JTA;
• Neil Nance, HNTB