RTA, ATU and Job Corp: training the next generation of workers

RTA, the ATU and the Cleveland Job Corps Center will teach and train the next generation of employees by providing real-work experiences for interns to work in transit.

 RTA, ATU and Job Corp: training the next generation of workers

May 8, 2017

CLEVELAND - The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and the Cleveland Job Corps Center have joined forces to teach and train the next generation of employees by providing real-work experiences for interns to work in transit.

In a joint agreement, the Cleveland Job Corps Center will provide RTA with students for a five-week internship. The students will intern in various departments within the Operations Division, including Facilities Maintenance and Shelters.

The goal of the program is to provide real-life job experiences to the students, and to create a pipeline of applicants for skilled maintenance positions within the RTA.

“Through this agreement, the students will participate in an internship program that will allow them to transition more easily from school to work, and to take advantage of the invaluable opportunities afforded through work-based learning,” said RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese.

“This is a win-win opportunity,” Calabrese said. “The students benefit from on-the-job training, and RTA and the ATU benefit from tapping into the skills of students who have achieved the high standards and succeeded in the rigorous training of the Job Corps.”

ATU President Ron Jackson said, “We look forward to having the opportunity to train and equip the next generation of union workers. We know that Job Corps interns will do a great job in the wide variety of positions that RTA makes available to them.”

"Cleveland Job Corps is very thankful for the opportunity to partner with the RTA”, said Cleveland Job Corps Center Director William Houston. “We hope our students will be able to fulfill the skills gap that has been looming in the RTA corporation for the past couple of years. It is our goal to make sure the students are responsible, committed and prepared for this wonderful opportunity."

Cleveland Job Corps Center

Cleveland Job Corps Center graduates have been employed by leading institutions and major corporations throughout the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County in a variety of trades with great success. The Cleveland Job Corps is becoming one of the leading vocational training institution within the Cleveland Metropolitan Area. Because of Job Corps reputation, employers increasingly look for opportunities to partner with the Cleveland Job Corps to create an ongoing employer pool to train and develop their own potential candidates for employment. Learn more at www.cleveland.jobcorps.gov

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