APTA Releases 6 Workforce Development Mini Guides For Public Transportation Leaders

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released the first set in a new six-part workforce development series, designed to help develop and implement successful strategies to address the critical workforce shortages seen across the public transportation industry.

Built on APTA’s comprehensive 2021 Transit Workforce Readiness Guide, the six new mini guides will be released throughout April and provide best practices, case studies and insights on the following topics:

• Advancing awareness of transit careers;
• Creating internships and apprenticeships;
• Recruiting and hiring transit workers;
• Serving the underserved in the workforce;
• Onboarding, training and retaining workers; and,
• Building a transit curriculum.

An October 2022 survey conducted by APTA revealed that 96 percent of transit agencies of all sizes are experiencing workforce challenges, and 84 percent said these shortages are impacting their ability to provide service.

“APTA recognizes the impact the worker shortage crisis is having on our industry, and has been working diligently to provide resources to help transit leaders create effective strategies to attract, retain and develop a skilled workforce,” APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said. “We are excited to publish these new guides and provide new tools, approaches and partnerships to help our members build a new generation of the transit workforce.”

The mini guides were sponsored by APTA’s Business Members Board of Governors Workforce Development Committee and are available to APTA members at APTAU Learning.