News

Center Delivers Virtual TC3 Class to Workforce Training Participants

Posted January 2021

Interactive transit organization chart with embedded videos career stories

For the past several years, Center Senior Director for Workforce Education Pat Greenfield and long-time Center subject matter expert Frank Burnett, a retired IBEW Local 103 Instructor and MBTA signals maintainer, have co-taught the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3) in a program called Community Works . A twenty-six agency community, labor, and management partnership based in Western Massachusetts, Community Works runs a six‐week, state-registered adult workforce training program designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to be prepared and apply for state‐registered apprenticeship programs or transportation-industry careers. 

For this winter’s cohort, in light of COVID restrictions and at the request of the program’s organizers, Frank and Pat adapted their usual in-person class to an online environment. They used a combination of small group exercises, breakouts, videos, presentation slides, TC3 materials and discussion questions to engage participants in exploring key elements of the transit industry and its range of career opportunities. Participants discussed new and green technologies, the ways in which transit benefits communities, and varied entry points into public transportation careers. In addition, the class used transit-specific scenarios to examine the significance and application of critical workplace skills, such as teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and conflict resolution.

The Community Works program is one of several adaptations Center staff and partners have used to deliver TC3 virtually. For more information on TC3 generally, see our new video , and contact Pat Greenfield at pgreenfield@transportcenter.org .