News

Growing Mentorship and Apprenticeship in Texas

Posted April 2024

ITLC team members traveled to San Antonio, for the annual Texas Transit Association (TTA) Conference and Expo, where ITLC Executive Director Jack Clark facilitated a session titled “Growing Your Own Through Apprenticeship: A Joint Approach to Building Skills for the Frontline Workforce.” This session highlighted how transit agencies can use structured mentoring programs as the foundation for creating registered apprenticeship programs.

  

After Jack’s overview on the basics of apprenticeship and mentorship, the panel discussion featured Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 260’s Robert E. Garett, Houston METRO’s Maintenance Manager Ricky Mares, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1090’s President Brent Payne, and Austin CapMetro’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Skabowski. The group laid out the essential building blocks for creating and sustaining registered apprenticeship programs for bus technicians and bus operators, while discussing examples of challenges met and lessons learned as they designed and implemented their programs.