ITLC Advances Workforce Training for the Battery Workforce Initiative | | |
ITLC has been a part of the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI) since 2024, a joint effort of the Department of Energy and the Department of Labor led by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), working to help ensure America's growing battery manufacturing sector has a workforce ready to meet it. BWI brings together partners across industry, labor, and education to achieve that goal, and ITLC has played a central role in that work. While ITLC’s foundational work is based in transportation, major projects in recent years have utilized ITLC’s workforce and instructional design expertise to expand into other critical areas of infrastructure.
ITLC's work on BWI has included developing the Machine Operator Curriculum in Battery Manufacturing based on National Guideline Standards, conducting the pilot training program, incorporating pilot feedback to prepare the curriculum for full implementation, and developing the Battery Recycling Curriculum.
ITLC team leads, Marina Budeyeva and Arnett Powell, toured a major battery recycling facility in Wixom, MI, in March to learn about the full range of battery recycling operations. In May, Arnett attended the Battery Safety Summit in Pueblo, CO, where he connected with and learned from industry stakeholders.
For more about recent BWI developments, read the BWI Spring Issue Newsletter, or contact Marina at mbudeyeva@transportcenter.org. For more information about instructional design work in advanced manufacturing and beyond, contact Julie Deibel-Pundt at jdeibelpundt@transportcenter.org.
| | Join ITLC Team at TRB Webinar: Today at 3 pm ET | | Transit Workforce Center Activities | | Transit Skills Development and Career Advancement in Florida | | |
TWC team members attended the annual Professional Development Workshop & Transit Safety and Operations Summit in Tampa, FL, on June 8, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) and hosted by Florida’s Transit Safety and Operations Network (FTSON).
Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and Senior Policy Analyst Karitsa Holdzkom hosted a session titled "Strengthening the Transit Workforce: The State of Apprenticeship and Mentorship in Florida." The panel discussion included Miami-Dade Transit, which presented its newly registered Maintenance Apprenticeship program, and STAR Transit from Terrell, TX. Special Projects Administrator Renita Revere (Miami-Dade Transit) and President Joseph D’Elia (TWU Local 291), along with Transportation Director and Mentor Program Coordinator Antonio Harris (STAR Transit), engaged the audience in a discussion highlighting the steps necessary to bring mentorship and apprenticeship programs to fruition.
| Karitsa Holdzkom, Maurice Beard, Renita Revere, Joseph D'Elia, and Antonio Harris | |
A rural agency that focuses mainly on paratransit services, STAR Transit’s unique approach to building an operator mentor program addresses the challenges of serving a large geographical area. Presenters from these transit agencies gave attendees a view of how to start a program, whether your agency serves a rural or urban area, has a represented workforce or does not have a union, and how these programs work for different occupations.
Maurice and Program Manager for Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo hosted a session titled “Building the Transit Workforce Pipeline: Inside the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3).” This program was developed with input from frontline subject matter experts (SMEs) and equips transit workers with essential mechanical, electrical, computer, math, and other basic skills to help them receive stronger support in their careers.
| | Iowa Public Transportation Association Annual Meeting | | |
On June 18, TWC’s Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and Mentor Program Coordinator Valerie Campo of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) presented at the 2026 Iowa Public Transportation Association (IPTA) Annual Meeting in Altoona, IA. Their session, “Mentorship Matters: Improving Bus Operator Retention and Reducing Absenteeism Through Peer Support,” focused on how transit organizations of all types and sizes can create successful mentorship programs that support operators as they begin their careers.
After Maurice provided an overview of mentorship, including how mentor programs operate and their documented benefits, Valerie discussed how her agency designed, implemented, and adapted a program well-suited to MTD. Maurice then noted how mentorship programs can lay the foundation for a bus operator apprenticeship program, with additional benefits such as eligibility for funding. The final section of the workshop explored the importance of mentor selection and preparation, taking attendees through several segments of TWC's Train-the-Mentor program. For more information about mentorship programs and training, contact Maurice at mbeard@transportcenter.org.
| | Mentorship Training for Redding Area Bus Authority | | |
In June, Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard traveled to Redding, CA, to conduct a day-long training for newly selected mentors in the Redding Area Bus Authority's (RABA) new Operator Mentor Program, created through a collaborative effort with RABA, MTM Transit, and Teamsters Local 137.
Designed to help operator-mentors support their colleagues, the program reviewed the roles and responsibilities of a mentor and explored mentorship challenges and strategies through interactive activities and discussions. Participant reviews emphasized the program's value, noting how helpful they found the presentation, discussion, and activities — particularly the use of realistic scenarios — to prepare them for their mentorship roles.
ITLC congratulates the partners on the Operator Mentor Program launch! If your agency is interested in learning more about mentorship or scheduling a Train-the-Mentor at your location, please contact Maurice Beard at mbeard@transportcenter.org.
| Michigan Transit Vehicle Maintenance Seminar | | Director of Workforce Learning and Development Julie Deibel-Pundt and Stu Bass, Principal at Progress Worx, attended the Michigan Transit Vehicle Maintenance Seminar from June 23-25 in Roscommon, MI. The interactive workshop they led for the audience of maintainers and maintenance supervisors, “Bridging Maintenance Skills Gaps: Practical Tools for Stronger Transit Training,” emphasized practical, field-informed strategies that organizations can adapt to strengthen their maintenance workforce and support safe, reliable, and efficient transit systems. | | ITLC Connects With Small Urban Transit Agencies at CTAA Sun Conference | |
Deputy Director Xinge Wang and Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard attended the Community Transportation Association of America’s (CTAA) Small Urban Network (SUN) Conference in Monterey, CA, from August 4–6. The conference brought together executives, leaders, and partners from small urban transit agencies to exchange ideas, discuss policy priorities, and identify practical solutions to improve mobility in small and mid-sized communities.
This year’s conference was attended by over 100 participants. This intimate setting allows for meaningful, in-depth conversations on a variety of topics designed to highlight the unique challenges small agencies face, including funding, agency innovations, messaging and communication of transit benefits, transit’s role in the construction of affordable housing, and how AI can be utilized in transit environments as tools for leveraging limited resources.
Xinge made plenary remarks introducing participants to TWC and its key initiatives. She and Maurice also had the opportunity to connect with transit leaders and workforce development professionals at the TWC exhibitor table, where they shared key TWC resources that agencies can use to strengthen workforce development at their agencies.
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