In honor of National Apprenticeship Day, APTA is spotlighting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Elevators & Escalators Apprenticeship Program at New York City Transit (NYCT). With a dedicated team of 400 employees maintaining over 600 pieces of equipment, MTA’s program is an outstanding example of how to grow and sustain a skilled workforce.

This episode of The Transit Authority podcast to features:

• Assistant Chief, Damion Thomas, who began his career as an elevator and escalator apprentice and shares his journey;
• Supervisor (Lisette), maintainer (Robert), and an apprentice (Singh) to share their career journey ;
• Chief, Stephen Carson, who outlines the steps to launch an apprenticeship program, which include:
  • Conducting a needs assessment to identify the skills your organization requires.
  • Building relationships with local and state government officials to align with labor laws and codes.
  • Embedding mentorship into the program by pairing apprentices with maintainers, supervisors, and other seasoned professionals.