News
Center Presents on Standard-Based Training and Apprenticeship for Frontline Technicians at NTI Conf.
Posted April 2014
Seventeen people representing transit agencies and community colleges attended the Center’s March 31 workshop on Standards-based Training and Apprenticeship for Frontline Technicians at the Transit Trainers Workshop sponsored by the National Transit Institute in Long Beach, California. The presentation focused on the full system of training and qualification developed for rail car technicians through the recently completed TCRP E-7 project Establishing a National Transit Industry Rail Vehicle Technician Qualification Program, but Center Deputy Director Jack Clark noted that the system is relevant for all transit maintenance occupations. Lively discussion followed the presentation, with a lot of questions and sharing of information on effective joint apprenticeship programs. Participants wanted to know more about good practice on mentoring and generally expressed eagerness to learn more about how the industry standards for training could be implemented in their locations
Much of the discussion carried over the following day in a workshop on a TCRP funded project to develop a national training and certification program for transit maintenance instructors. Brian Lester of EDSI Consulting presented on behalf of the project team led by the Transportation Learning Center. Mentoring came up again as a major area of concern. One trainer summed it up well, “you have mentoring going on whether you recognize it or not.” Some locations shared experience in getting strong Train the Trainer provisions in procurement language when buying buses. One participant said that this is an excellent means to continually develop training staff. Just as the previous day’s discussion highlighted big demographic changes in the overall workforce, the consensus from this workshop was that a system of training and qualifying instructors is essential because the transit industry training staff is facing a “silver tsunami” of coming retirements.
Related Links:
PowerPoint Presentation
Passing on the Legacy: The Benefits of Mentoring in Transit Training
Training for Transportation Technicians: Which Delivery Methods Work Best?
Working Together: A Systems Approach for Transit Training
