General goals
In a coordinating partnership, the NNTW co-hosted a webinar with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee titled “Diversity in the Transportation Industry: Attracting and Engaging Diverse Groups” in order to explore and celebrate diversity in the transportation workforce by looking at different careers and opportunities, how programs can serve underrepresented populations, and organizational transformations.
Duration
Status: Completed
Anticipated Partnership Duration: July 2016 – October 2016
Timeline and Overview
In response to SWTWC’s Phase 2 of the Job Needs and Priorities Report and the Center’s commitment to engaging underrepresented populations, SWTWC Associate Director Tyler Reeb coordinated a webinar to promote diversity in the transportation industry. The webinar highlights the great potential for the transportation industry with a diverse group of people, minds, and thought as diversity creates an environment of inclusion and knowledge sharing among communities, organizations, and individuals.
The webinar featured programs already in-place to serve underrepresented populations in the transportation industry, and methods for organizational transformations to effectively conduct outreach and expand the workforce to include these populations.
The webinar featured the following speakers:
- Thought Leader: Mr. Doran J. Barnes, American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Chair; Executive Director, Foothill Transit, West Convina, California;
- Moderator, Facilitator, and Presenter: Ms. Lydia C. Grose, Director, Engineering and Design Civil Engineering, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA); immediate past Chair, APTA Human Resources Committee;
- Presenter: Mr. Todd Macalady, Director, Mountain West Region Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP);
- Presenter: Ms. Leticia Barajas, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce, Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC); and
- Presenter: Mr. Grailing Jones, Development Director, Schneider Employment Network.
“Diversity in the Transportation Industry: Attracting and Retaining Diverse Groups” Webinar was held on October 13, 2016.
Key Deliverables
- Webinar co-hosted by SWTWC on October 13, 2016 titled “Diversity in the Transportation Industry: Attracting and Retaining Diverse Groups”
- Coordinating partnership included:
- APTA
- SEPTA
- Mountain West TTAP
- LATTC
- The webinar had 170 sites in attendance.
Anticipated Outcomes
This webinar was conducted as part of SWTWC’s commitment to promoting diversity in the transportation workforce across all modes. The webinar is expected to increase visibility for the Center’s Workforce Initiative, and for stakeholders to become more aware of transportation programs already in-place that work with underserved populations. With the increased exposure, SWTWC anticipates the webinar will increase the potential for partnerships between industry programs and collaboration between the transportation education and training programs.
The webinar is also expected to increase the transportation workforce labor market pool.
Contribution Analysis
- SWTWC facilitated a coordinating partnership with the following organizations for the webinar:
- Mountain West TTAP;
- LATTC; and
- Schneider National.
Documentation
APTA. (2016). “Diversity in the transportation industry: Attracting and engaging diverse groups.” Retrieved from http://www.apta.com/resources/workforce/Pages/Diversity-in-the-Transportation-Industry.aspx.