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ITLC’s National Rail Car Consortium Hosts Annual In-Person Meeting in Charlotte
Representatives from 12 transit agencies gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina, from May 5–9 for ITLC’s National Rail Car Consortium’s annual in-person meeting, which centered on collaboration and the development of training materials. The week began with a warm welcome from Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) General Manager of Training and Operations Programs, Tina Hall, and Rail Car Maintenance Training Specialist Marc Laughlin, followed by a productive kickoff session led by Instructional Designer Addie Khanu and Program Manager of Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo.
Throughout the week, 27 subject matter experts (SMEs) collaborated to revise, refine, and develop technical courseware for use in agency training programs. Review topics included networking and communications, HVAC, automatic train control, and computer basics. The group also scoped out a new course on hydraulic and pneumatic principles. In addition to course development, attendees toured the CATS rail facility and took part in team-building activities designed to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
These annual meetings offer valuable time for SMEs to share best practices, strengthen professional networks, and contribute to high-quality, industry-driven training development.
For more information about the Rail Car Training Consortium or upcoming events, contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org.
| | ITLC’s National Rail Car Consortium members | | |
Accelerating Transit Workforce Development in Virginia
At the Virginia Transportation Association’s Annual Conference in late May, Senior Policy Analyst Karitsa Holdzkom facilitated a session that brought together leaders from Virginia Works, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) to spotlight strategies for building strong transit apprenticeship and mentorship programs across the Commonwealth.
The session, Accelerating Transit Workforce Development: Building Successful Apprenticeship and Mentorship Programs in Virginia, focused on practical tools and success stories that transit agencies can use to address workforce shortages and build sustainable talent pipelines.
| Session presenters (left to right): Jennifer Hynson, Angela Kelly-Wiecek, Karitsa Holdzkom, Mitch Huber, Wendy Tunstall, and Ashley Mason | |
Session highlights included:
- Insights from Virginia Works on registered apprenticeships, funding opportunities, and real-world success stories.
- An overview from DRPT’s Statewide Transit Planner Mitch Huber on their workforce development funding program, with an emphasis on partnerships with educational institutions.
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Karitsa’s presentation on the essential role of mentorship in apprenticeship programs, including examples of their benefits and resources to help transit agencies develop new programs, such as apprenticeship frameworks for frontline transit occupations and technical assistance offered to agencies through the Transit Workforce Center (TWC).
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An update from GRTC’s Manager of Employee Engagement Ashley Mason, and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1222’s Mentorship Coordinator and Financial Secretary Wendy Tunstall on their recent successful partnership to launch a mentorship program for bus operators.
The session wrapped with a collaborative Q&A that encouraged knowledge sharing among transit agencies and sparked new ideas for public transit workforce innovation in Virginia. Presenters welcomed the audience to continue the conversation after the conference and to connect with their organizations and the resources presented at the session.
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ITLC Presents at TRB’s 2025 Workforce Summit
On June 2–4, Research Associate Michaela Boneva, Senior Researcher Shayna Gleason, Senior Policy Analyst Karitsa Holdzkom, and Senior Researcher Douglas Nevins presented at the Transportation Research Board’s National Summit on The Future of the Transportation Workforce in Westminster, Colorado.
Shayna shared insights from “Case Studies and Other Research on Creative Recruitment and Retention Strategies” in a panel on Increasing Applicant Pools for Transportation Jobs, which highlighted a range of recruitment methods, including targeted advertising and community partnerships.
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Karitsa contributed to the Experiential Education and Apprenticeships panel with her presentation, “The Growing Trend of Apprenticeship and Mentorship in Public Transportation.” The panel explored ways to expand learning opportunities that emphasize transit industry-relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Michaela and Douglas spoke on the Metrics and Measurements panel, presenting “The Future Workforce: Exploring Transportation Employment With National Datasets” and “Transit Workforce Metrics: Measuring Outcomes and Progress.” The session also included a presentation on forecasting staffing and training needs and examined how metrics are useful not only for tracking internal patterns and performance, but also for analyzing national workforce trends.
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Over 200 attendees from state and local transportation agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations attended the summit. The sessions and plenaries highlighted the crucial contributions of the transportation workforce, workforce challenges facing the industry, and innovative strategies for the future.
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Building Skills at the 2025 CTAA Expo
Earlier this month, Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard, Program Manager of Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo, and Communications Associate Sudan Smith attended the 2025 Community Transportation Association of America’s (CTAA) Expo in San Diego.
Maurice and Kristen led an engaging session, “Foundational Skills Curriculum for Successful Career Pathways—Filling Skills Gaps in Technical Positions,” on TWC’s in-development Foundational Skills Program, an initiative designed to address skills gaps among both new hires and incumbent workers across the transit industry.
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Attendees learned how the program is being developed to strengthen essential competencies in four key areas: electrical, mechanical, computer literacy, and shop math. The curriculum is being created in a modular format, allowing agencies to select and implement the components that best meet their specific workforce development needs.
Once finalized, all course materials will be freely available from TWC, making it easier for agencies of all sizes to incorporate foundational skills training into their existing programs. This initiative is part of TWC’s broader effort to support long-term success for transit workers nationwide.
Throughout the expo, ITLC team members staffed an exhibit, where they engaged with attendees, answered questions, and provided information about the various materials and resources available on the ITLC and TWC websites.
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ITLC Delivers Session at the 2025 TAM Maintenance Forum
Last month, ProgressWorx’s Principal Stu Bass, Senior Advisor for Workforce Development and Technology Jason Macumber, and Program Manager of Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo led a full-day session at the Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM) Maintenance Forum in Ellicot City, Maryland. The session focused on technician training and workforce development, directly supporting TAM’s mission to strengthen community transportation across Maryland.
The morning began with a focus on apprenticeship and mentorship, exploring how structured on-the-job learning models can help agencies attract and retain skilled technicians. Drawing from national best practices and on-the-ground examples, the session highlighted how transit systems—especially those in smaller or more rural communities—and Maryland Department of Transportation entities can build scalable, sustainable career pathways.
In the afternoon, the conversation shifted to specific skills gaps, using a foundational electrical curriculum to show how targeted training can bridge technical knowledge deficits. Kristen also previewed ITLC’s new foundational skills course currently in development, which is set to be formally presented at TAM’s September event. The session concluded with a discussion on train-the-trainer strategies, which received notable interest from participants eager to build internal instructional capacity within their agencies.
Overall, the day offered participants practical tools and frameworks to strengthen their technician workforce and align local training efforts with broader statewide goals.
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ATTAIN Bus Maintenance Meeting
TWC welcomed over 90 attendees to last month’s American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN) webinar, which focused on the value and impact of bus maintenance apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships are a time-tested strategy for building a skilled workforce, providing pathways for individuals entering the industry or in entry-level positions to advance to journey worker roles. Many transit agencies report challenges in finding qualified technicians, so the discussion addressed how registered apprenticeships build agency-specific talent pipelines and offer opportunities for experienced workers to mentor program participants.
To illustrate these points, the meeting featured discussions with labor and management representatives from Milwaukee County Transit and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). From Milwaukee, speakers included ATU Local 998 President Bruce Freeman and Milwaukee County Transit’s Chief Human Resources Officer Benjamin Spark. From Jacksonville, speakers included International Association of Machinists Lodge 759 President Melvin Nesmith, JTA Senior Manager of Recruitment and Workforce Development Dr. Sandy Beaumont, and JTA Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development Mary Smith.
| ATTAIN Bus Maintenance meeting speakers | |
JTA has benefited from its program for several years, with participants graduating and becoming journey worker technicians at the agency, while Milwaukee registered its program earlier this year. Each emphasized the importance of strong collaboration between management and labor, with both sides working together to maintain the program’s strength.
To review key moments and highlights, check out the meeting recording and presentation slides.
For more information about apprenticeships, mentorships, or future ATTAIN meetings, contact Karitsa Holdzkom at kholdzkom@transportcenter.org.
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