News
Career Pathways/Career Ladders Roundtable Conference Brings Together Practitioners, Federal Agencies
Posted September 2014
On Wednesday, September 17 just over 30 invited and engaged participants from a diverse group of organizations came together for the Transportation Learning Center’s “Making Connections” Career Pathways and Career Ladders Roundtable Conference. Using a format that included short kick-off comments and extensive interaction throughout the day, attendees addressed significant issues, asked questions and shared information around the following topics:
• Creating and Building on Career Ladders and Pathways in Transit: An Examination of Need, Opportunities and Frameworks
• Outreach and Engagement: Effective Practices and Stakeholder Buy-In
• Mentoring for Pathways and Ladders
• The Critical Role of the Apprenticeship and Rigorous Career Ladder Training
• Education Programs as Partners and Stakeholders in the Pathways and Ladders System
• Stakeholder Engagement: Opportunities and Challenges
The unique interactive design of the conference allowed for federal agency officials and representatives from nationally and regionally-based non-profits to provide information to and hear about cutting-edge programs from transit agency and union representatives who work with young people and community members on a day-to-day basis. Stakeholders working on national, state, regional and local levels were able to share perspectives and experiences through dialogue during the sessions as well as through opportunities to network more informally during regular breaks throughout the day.
In written and oral evaluations attendees expressed enthusiasm about the conference, commenting on the power of bringing diverse participants “to the table” and enabling them to talk with—and not at—each other throughout the day. They expressed appreciation for the opportunity to address key issues for all participants and to be able to network with people and organizations at all levels of the Career Pathways and Ladders system who are not commonly together for these sorts of discussions.
The following organizations participated in the conference, which was part of the Center’s FTA Innovative Workforce Development Project: AFL-CIO, Albert Shanker Institute/American Federation of Teachers, Amalgamated Transit Union International, Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 268 (Cleveland,) 382 (Utah,) 441 (Des Moines,) 1277 (Los Angeles,) and 1300 (Baltimore,) American Public Transportation Association, Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, Economic Policy Institute, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Jobs for the Future, Keystone Development Partnership, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Mountwest Community and Technical College, National College Credit Recommendation Service, Regional Transportation District-Denver WIN Program, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Transport Workers Union Local 234 (Philadelphia,) Transportation Communications Union/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, U.S Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, Utah Transit Authority, and Wider Opportunities for Women.
