Building Capacity for Transit Training International and Domestic Comparisons

This working paper provides an initial overview of the findings from ongoing research at the Transportation Learning Center regarding strong industry-wide workforce development systems in six other countries and in several US industries.

​As the US public transportation industry continues to make strides toward more effective workforce development systems to address pervasive skills challenges, an important opportunity exists to identify useful lessons from the most effective industry-wide training programs in other countries and other US industries. The “Best in Class” among these other industry-wide training systems share a number of common features that contribute to their quality and effectiveness. These common features include industry-wide and local training partnerships, data-driven curriculum and courseware development, high quality integrated delivery of classroom and on-the-job training and certification, and secure sources of adequate funding. Understanding these distinctive features of successful industry-wide training systems in other countries and industries can contribute to enhancing workforce training in this country as part of ongoing innovations in transit workforce development.