The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has launched the Workforce Initiative Now-LA (WIN-LA), a workforce development program focused on creating career pathways in the transportation industry.

“The expansion of our transportation system is going to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and we have a responsibility to make sure the people in our own communities have the skills to fill them,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro board chair Eric Garcetti. “Workforce Initiative Now-Los Angeles will offer training resources to people across L.A. County and prepare them for tomorrow’s good-paying Metro jobs.”

Career pathways include construction, non-construction opportunities in operations/maintenance, administration and professional services. Unique to the program, WIN-LA will provide support for participants in areas such as life skills development, skill set enhancement and educational attainment services through a collaboration of program partners. It will also increase resources needed for training and placement of hard-to-fill positions within Metro and the transportation industry.

Approximately 39 percent of Metro’s workforce will be eligible for retirement over the next three years, with 69 percent of Metro employees currently over the age of 40. Succession planning is crucial to maintaining a viable agency, and Metro needs a workforce to deliver its Measure M program over the next 40 years and beyond.

“Metro’s WIN-LA program reinforces to the community our commitment as a teaching organization that attracts, develops, motivates and retains a world-class workforce,” said L.A. County Supervisor and Metro board member Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Metro is in the midst of building the largest infrastructure program in the nation and substantial job opportunities in the transportation arena are available to those who are committed. We believe that WIN-LA will make it easier for people to train and apply and that is a win-win.”

WIN-LA is a collaborative partnership between Metro and institutions and organizations helping job seekers, companies and local communities through demand-driven workforce services. The goal is to create career pathway opportunities in the transportation and construction industries.

“From employment training, assessment and placement to ongoing outreach, WIN-LA will give people the tools they need to build better lives and sustainable communities across Metro’s service area,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “The program’s first priority is putting people to work. To that end, it will provide potential employees with skills training, placement assistance and resources to help them secure industry positions with competitive wages and career possibilities and to keep those positions throughout their careers.”

For information, visit metro.net.