U.S. Transit Agencies with Registered Apprenticeships
A Visualization of a Growing Trend in American Transit
Over the past 10 years, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal agencies have invested heavily in promoting and supporting registered apprenticeship, resulting in a significant expansion of registered apprentice programs across the country. Likewise, the use of registered apprenticeship for frontline public transit occupations has increased significantly, with many transit agencies and their corresponding unions jointly adopting labor-management standards that create a framework for apprenticeship. Only five transit agencies had a registered apprenticeship program in 2013, compared with 30 transit agencies in 2023.
Yet apprenticeship, which provides attractive career opportunities and has documented and positive impacts on retention (1), is still rare in this sector: only 1 percent of U.S. apprentices are in the transportation and warehousing industry (2), in contrast to its 4.1 percent share of US nonfarm employment (3) . According to DOL’s interactive apprenticeship database, there are currently only 622 active apprentices in transit-related apprenticeable occupations, such as transit coach operators, transit rail vehicle maintenance technicians and transit bus technicians (4).
With funding from the Federal Transit Administration, the Transit Workforce Center (TWC) helps transit agencies and unions to navigate the creation and registration of apprenticeships. TWC offers many resources, including the American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN), FAQs , funding information , and highlights successful programs and best practices for apprentice training in webinars and ATTAIN meetings .
The map below shows transit locations with registered apprenticeship or mentorship programs. Click on a dot to find out more about the programs!
Disclaimer
This online map is provided for informational purposes only. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information presented, it is not exhaustive and may not include all relevant programs. Users are encouraged to independently verify the information before making any decisions based on it.
Sources
- Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database
- The Amalgamated Transit Union, Media Center
- USDOL Office of Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship Finder
- Urban Institute, Database of Registered Apprenticeship Standards
- USDOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic News Release: Employees by Industry Sector