Making Connections 2024 Recap | |
Over 450 attendees—from transit CEOs to frontline workers—gathered in Baltimore for Making Connections 2024, TWC’s national conference dedicated to workforce development in the public transportation industry. Organized in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the National Transportation Institute (NTI), the event—the second since TWC’s launch in 2021—provided a forum to explore collaborative and creative workforce development initiatives across the industry. | |
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Jack Clark, Executive Director of the International Transportation Learning Center, TWC’s operating organization, opened the conference, emphasizing the unique nature of the event, stating that “no other gathering in the industry brings together such a wide range of voices committed to engaging together.” Local co-hosts Holly Arnold (Administrator, Maryland Transit Administration) and Michael McMillan (President and Business Agent, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1300) welcomed the group to Baltimore, noting their collaboration and innovations. In her keynote address, FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to position transit as an "employer of choice" and then led a dialogue with industry leaders on challenges and initiatives. | |
The diverse group of Making Connections 2024 participants, with representatives from transit agencies, labor, government, education, workforce development organizations, and community groups, engaged in pre-conference intensive sessions, plenaries, and workshops over two and a half days. Discussions centered on the transit workforce’s most pressing challenges, including recruitment, retention, apprenticeship and mentorship, training, workforce investment, data, safety, and preparing for new technologies. Sessions focused on developing effective programs and new directions utilizing the knowledge, skills, and strengths of all transit stakeholders. To round out attendees' experiences, networking time outside the sessions included a Veterans’ Day reception honoring military veterans working in transit, an evening reception at Baltimore’s historic B&O Railroad Museum, and a Zero-Emission Bus Tech Tour at MDOT Maryland Transit Administration’s Kirk Maintenance Facility.
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The active engagement of participants, both during and outside of sessions, reflected the conference's mission of fostering connections and creating pathways for growth, innovation, and advancement within the transit industry. Attendees described the conference as a valuable chance to exchange stories, share experiences, and uncover new strategies to address workplace challenges, with many noting they left the event inspired and equipped with new tools to drive workforce development in their organizations. Watch the recap video for conference highlights, check out MC24 session slides, and see what attendees had to say in the comment compilation below. | |
January Is National Mentorship Month! | |
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To continue supporting the public transportation industry in creating and strengthening mentorship programs across the industry, TWC will hold a series of Mentorship Program Office Hours during National Mentorship Month. TWC’s experienced and knowledgeable team members will be available Fridays, January 10, 17, 24, and 31 from 12:30-2:30 pm ET to provide technical assistance to transit agencies and their partners with an interest in learning about, exploring, developing, expanding, and evaluating mentorship programs.
Sign up for a Friday 15-minute slot to have an initial conversation with a TWC team member. If the times available do not work for you, please email Karitsa Holdzkom at kholdzkom@transportcenter.org with your availability.
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New Design for Website Homepage | |
The TWC website homepage has a new look! Stop by to view its streamlined layout, organized by user-friendly categories covering technical assistance, resources, events, and other areas of interest. | |
The Transit Workforce Center is FTA’s technical assistance center for frontline workforce development, operated by the International Transportation Learning Center. For any technical assistance requests, contact us at 1-855-888-NTWC or twc@transportcenter.org. | |
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