News
June 22 Webinar on Mentorship Programs
Posted June 2022
Next week, the Transit Workforce Center (TWC) will hold the third webinar in the series on strategic workforce development, Fundamentals of Mentoring.
Mentor programs provide a powerful and effective tool for workforce development and retention. For maintenance occupations, mentors deliver hands-on training support, putting skills in diverse workplace contexts beyond the classroom. For bus operators, mentors provide guidance that addresses real world situations, building and expanding on basic training and creating ongoing support for each new operator. In every transit agency across all occupations, seasoned employees have stores of knowledge waiting to be shared. Without mentorship, this knowledge can be lost when workers retire or move on.
A well-structured mentorship program, designed in partnership with the workers, ensures this expertise is passed on. Strong mentorship programs also provide mentors with leadership opportunities and mentees with the skills and confidence they need to succeed, increasing expertise and morale throughout the organization. In this webinar, attendees will:
- Develop an understanding of the key elements of a successful mentorship program
- Hear from labor and management leaders at established transit mentor programs about the impact of mentorship programs in their agencies
- Learn about the skills used by an effective mentor
- Listen to the experiences of current mentors and mentees
Presenters:
- Michael Hursh, General Manager, AC Transit
- Stuart Bass, Principal, Progress Worx
- Jamaine Gibson, Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International
- Anton Pierson, Mentor, ATU Local 1005/Metro Transit
- Kevin Philpotts, Apprenticeship Coordinator, Transit Workers Union (TWU) 234/SEPTA
- Dionna McCane, ATU Mentorship and Apprenticeship Coordinator, ATU Local 1070/IndyGo
