Supporting WMATA Through Train-the-Trainer
The International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC) has been partnering with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to strengthen and expand its internal training capacity through the Train-the-Trainer program.
In April, ITLC launched the first of nine Train-the-Trainer cohorts that will be delivered through August. The program brings together new and experienced trainers, creating opportunities to build foundational instructional skills while also enhancing existing training practices.
| Train-the-Trainer Level 1 instructors with WMATA participants | |
For new trainers, the program provides practical tools and techniques to help them succeed in the classroom, from understanding how adults learn to developing confidence in facilitation, communication, and learner engagement. For experienced trainers, the program offers an opportunity to refresh and refine their approach, explore new instructional strategies, and expand their training toolkit.
Throughout the program, participants engage in hands-on activities, practice teaching sessions, peer feedback, and discussions focused on creating effective learning experiences. By investing in trainer development, WMATA is helping ensure its employees receive high-quality, engaging training that supports workforce development across the organization.
| | ITLC Delivers Train-the-Trainer to Agencies from Across the Country | |
From May 4-8, Director of Workforce Learning and Development Julie Deibel-Pundt and Instructional Designer Jessie Supervielle conducted an open enrollment Train-the-Trainer Level 1 course in Rockville, MD, hosted by Montgomery County Ride On. Unlike agency-specific trainings for a particular organization’s training staff, ITLC’s open-enrollment offerings create space for any interested transit trainer. Participating trainers represented agencies from Utah, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Minnesota, spanning departments including bus maintenance, train dispatch, traction power substations, and human resources. The week-long course is designed to build foundational knowledge of adult learning theory and principles; increase effectiveness as an instructor through methods, tools, and guidelines for delivering training; examine classroom and hands-on training strategies; and provide multiple opportunities to practice training delivery.
Participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity to reflect on their current practices and to compare training approaches with colleagues from other locations facing similar challenges. Key takeaways centered on further developing participants’ current training skills. One attendee commented, “I expected to learn some new theory and practice. I wasn't expecting it to be so valuable in thinking about how I will approach training.” Other points noted included an improvement in the ability to create and use a lesson plan with greater ease and efficiency, and a potential exploration of a co-facilitation model after learning about the benefits of teaching in partnership and seeing it in action.
| Train-the-Trainer Level 1 instructors with open enrollment participants | For more information about ITLC’s Train-the-Trainer courses, visit the Train-the-Trainer page, or contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org. | | Transit Workforce Center Activities | | Apprenticeship for America Summit | | |
Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and Senior Policy Analyst Karitsa Holdzkom attended the third annual Apprenticeship for America Summit, May 19–21, in Washington, D.C., which brought together leaders from across the country to explore how apprenticeship models—especially in non‑traditional fields—can strengthen workforce pipelines. Maurice and Karitsa led “Building Statewide Apprenticeships Through Employer-College Partnerships: The PennTRAIN Model.” They framed the discussion with TWC’s national mission and the growing need for structured training pathways as transit agencies face recruitment challenges, retention issues, and a rapidly retiring workforce.
The session highlighted how employer-college partnerships are becoming essential to transit workforce development. Community and technical colleges bring existing instructional capacity, experience with apprenticeship registration, and the ability to adapt foundational curricula to transit-specific needs. These partnerships also allow multiple agencies to pool demand, making high‑quality training viable even for small systems. This national context set the stage for a deep dive into Pennsylvania’s statewide approach to bus maintenance apprenticeship.
Representatives Alex Lehman of Pennsylvania College of Technology and Richard Schlameuss of Monroe County Transportation Authority detailed the development of the PennTRAIN Bus Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship. With more than 20 small transit systems in Pennsylvania—some with as few as six mechanics—the need for a coordinated training model was clear, and Penn College became the program sponsor and Related Technical Instruction provider. The resulting two‑year hybrid program, registered in 2025, embeds industry credentials, offers OEM‑agnostic training, and provides supportive services. Together, PPTA, Penn College, and member agencies have created the first statewide bus maintenance apprenticeship, demonstrating how statewide collaboration can meet critical workforce needs.
For more information about this model, contact Karitsa Holdzkom at kholdzkom@transportcenter.org.
| | Maurice Beard, Executive Director John Colborn, Apprenticeships for America, and Karitsa Holdzkom | | TWC Shares Updates at APTA Workforce Summit | | |
Deputy Director Xinge Wang attended the APTA Mobility Conference and Workforce Summit in Salt Lake City, May 16-21. At the Workforce Summit session “FTA Updates: What’s Next for Workforce,” Carita Ducre, Vice President of Workforce Development & Educational Services at APTA, introduced Edwin Rodriguez, Director for the Office of Research Management, Innovation, and Outreach at the Federal Transit Administration, who highlighted the workforce initiatives and resources supported by the agency. In addition, Xinge provided brief remarks on TWC’s two recent webinars, now available to view, designed to support transit frontline workforce development efforts.
Watch the webinars: Bus Operator Mentorship and Apprenticeship and Transit Core Competencies Curriculum.
| | Xinge Wang and Edwin Rodriguez | |
Streamlining Operator Hiring Practices at the CTAA Conference | |
In May, ITLC’s Senior Researcher Shayna Gleason and Technical Assistance and Outreach Associate Alashia Bryant attended the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) Expo in Omaha, NE. Shayna delivered a presentation on “Streamlining Operator Hiring Practices,” in which participants learned about best practices from recent research and engaged in an exercise auditing their own hiring processes. Shayna and Alashia also had technical assistance conversations with a significant number of conference attendees at the Transit Workforce Center booth.
| TWC Connects With YouthBuild | | Kristen Ribaudo, Annmarie Carmody, and Frank Burnett | | |
Training Specialist Frank Burnett, Communications Manager Annmarie Carmody, and Program Manager, Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo participated in a networking session at the 2026 YouthBuild Directors Association Meeting in Arlington, VA, in May. They shared details with attendees about TWC’s new program, the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum, which helps build foundational technical knowledge and workplace readiness skills for new and current transit employees. They also outlined TWC resources that can support youth interested in transit careers.
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TCRP Project F-26A –
Transit Agency Survey: Health and Safety of Transit Workers
| This national survey is part of a project sponsored by the Transit Cooperative Research Program, and led by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute in collaboration with Foursquare ITP. Your responses will inform evidence-based recommendations and practical tools for transit agencies. The survey takes approximately 20–30 minutes. All responses are confidential and reported in aggregate only. |
TCRP Study Survey –
Marijuana Testing Regulations and Employer Policies: Impacts on Public Transportation Employment
| Researchers from the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles are conducting a research study funded by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board under the Transit Cooperative Research Program to understate the state of marijuana/cannabis use and testing by current and prospective employees in safety-sensitive positions at public transportation agencies in the United States. | | See what's happening on our social sites: | | | | |
