Union is setting the standard for apprenticeships in the transit industry
Silver Spring, MD – As the industry leader for transit apprenticeships and workforce development programs, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the largest transit union in North America, has been recognized as an Apprenticeship Ambassador by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
Through the program, the ATU will be joining a national movement to expand, diversify, modernize, and strengthen Registered Apprenticeships.
“We're grateful for this national recognition and welcome this partnership to provide critical workforce development programs for our members and our industry while strengthening the nation’s workforce,” said ATU International President John Costa. “The ATU has been setting the standard for transit apprenticeships, and this partnership with the DOL will take us to the next level in our goal to develop innovative transit apprenticeship programs and grow and support the ones that already exist across North America.”
In order to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeships, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative seeks to create a national network to serve as champions for their industry or area of expertise.
As an Ambassador, the ATU will be active in National Apprenticeship Week in November, sharing our best practices in Registered Apprenticeship with the DOL, recruiting additional Apprenticeship Ambassadors, conducting outreach to our employers within our industry on behalf of the DOL, and participating in DOL-hosted Apprenticeship Ambassador events.
“From the VTA in San Jose, CA, to Metro in the Twin Cities, MN, to TriMet in Portland, OR, our members across the country have advanced their careers through ATU apprenticeship programs,” Costa continued. “With transit agencies moving to zero-emission vehicles, the ATU is also paving the way for a greener future by ensuring our members can repair, maintain, and operate these new vehicles. At the same time, these apprenticeships help advance racial and gender equity in the workplace while bettering the lives of our members and their families."
A kick-off meeting welcoming the first cohort of Ambassadors is scheduled around August 16 in recognition of the 85th Anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act.