Workforce Development

MTI believes a lifelong interest in transportation begins with opportunities for curiosity. Our preschool and K-12 initiatives engage students in creative, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that connect curiosity and classroom discovery with real-world mobility challenges.

Preschool 

MTI collaborated with expert early childhood educators to develop and pilot lessons for preschool-aged students to empower the littlest learners to engage with mobility issues that shape their communities through play. The activities on this webpage align with the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations—a framework for educators to support the development of young children in various domains to ensure they are prepared for kindergarten and beyond.

Elementary

• Through collaborative partnerships with experienced educators, MTI develops Elementary Lesson Plans that introduce students to foundational concepts about how people and goods move through their communities. 

• The annual Mineta Elementary Poster Contest encourages young learners to express ideas about safe, sustainable mobility through art and storytelling.

Middle School & High School

• The annual Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition invites middle school teams nationwide to explore transportation innovation while building teamwork, creativity, and STEAM skills. Students develop and present sustainable mobility solutions to experts, gaining an early introduction to the value of research, design, and communication.

• The annual Mineta Essay Contest invites students in grades 6-12 to propose and explore a solution to a problem centered around a specific theme each year related to sustainability, safety, community, and innovation. This contest provides an opportunity to practice critical thinking, writing, and other valuable skills.

• The Mineta Summer Transportation Academy (MiSTA) immerses high school students in a free hands-on experience on the campus of San José State University in downtown San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley and a global center of innovation. Students explore careers across the transportation industry and build valuable skills by engaging with expert guest speakers and visiting mobility-related sites around the Bay Area. MiSTA fosters awareness of the various professions that keep our country moving.

Advancing Skills: Certificates and Academic Pathways

At the university level, MTI supports continued workforce development through the Master of Science in Transportation Management (MSTM) and graduate certificate programs offered in partnership with the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at San José State University. These programs equip transportation professionals with the policy, management, and analytical skills required to lead in a rapidly evolving transportation landscape.

Students benefit from instruction by industry experts, flexible online learning, and direct connections to California’s transportation network. Graduates of the MSTM program hold leadership roles across local, state, and federal agencies and throughout the private sector.

Leading with Purpose: Professional Development

The Mineta Leadership Academy develops exceptional public-sector leaders to serve the transportation industry. Mid- to senior-level managers deepen their understanding of leadership best practices, communication, ethics, and organizational change—equipping them to lead teams and run our nation’s transportation systems with confidence and integrity.

MTI also provides continuing education and professional development opportunities through workshops, webinars, and leadership partnerships that foster a resilient workforce committed to innovation and advancing mobility for all.

MTI’s Inspired to Connect the World: Careers in Transportation series features the stories of real transportation industry professionals in a variety of roles—including frontline roles like bus operators, communications specialists, managers, planners, students, and executive leaders—who keep people and goods moving.

Support & Partnerships

Since 1991, MTI’s education and workforce programs have reached thousands of students and professionals across California and the nation to build a talent pipeline that advances safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation for all.

MTI’s workforce development programs thrive through collaboration. We welcome partnerships with educators, public agencies, and industry leaders who share our commitment to cultivating a strong, talented transportation workforce of individuals from all backgrounds.

Educators are invited to pilot lesson plans and engage students in classroom activities. We need professionals with a variety of skillsets to serve as mentors, competition judges, host MiSTA site visits, and to generally support our programs. Together, we can advance mobility for all.

To discuss collaboration or bring an MTI program to your community, please contact MTI’s Director of Operations, Alverina Weinardy.