Workforce development grants from FTA will boost transit agencies and job-seekers

This Administration has made unprecedented investments in our nation's transportation system. These investments have created jobs, and they have helped position us for a cleaner, safer, and more economically competitive future. But we won't be able to continue building or running the systems we build without talented people to do the work.

So today, we're announcing $7 million in workforce development grants from the Federal Transit Administration to 17 organizations in 12 different states.

In addition to supporting America's transit systems, these grants reflect the Obama Administration's commitment to helping Americans find good jobs.

Over the last four years, President Obama has encouraged us to work toward an America that offers its people and businesses reliable, affordable, and safe transportation choices. One of those choices --which an increasing number of Americans are choosing-- is public transportation, or transit.

Here at DOT, we think that's terrific, and we're looking forward to continuing to work with communities across the U.S. to help them create the transit services they need. We also want to ensure that there are well-trained people available to our nation's communities who can build, maintain, and operate their public transportation systems. And that's where the grants we announced today will make a big difference.

They'll make a big difference for the transit systems in those cities, but especially to the men and women who will be prepared for good transit careers thanks to the programs that the FTA's Workforce Development Grants support.

For example, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff and I announced these grants this morning at the Booker T. Washington Charter School for the Technical Arts here in Washington, DC. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority received one of our 17 grants, which will benefit students like those at Booker T. Washington who are interested in learning the mechanical, electrical, and electronics skills that WMATA needs.

These funds will also help military veterans transition to civilian careers through WMATA's Bus Maintenance Apprentice Program.

As Administrator Rogoff said, "This program will enable talented young adults and military veterans to seize the opportunity to learn new skills and embark on successful careers building, managing, operating, and maintaining America's growing transit network."

Programs that have received previous workforce training grants are showing great promise. For example, the Denver Regional Transportation District's "Workforce Initiative Now" program has had great success training young men and women and hiring them to work on local transportation construction projects.

I am sure that the grants we announced today will bear similar fruit.

I'm proud that we've helped renew and grow our nation's transportation network. Helping people get where they need to go is tremendously important. Helping them connect with the training and education necessary to thrive professionally is pretty good, too.