Making Room for Tomorrow’s Leaders

APTA Student Membership Sees Strong Growth

APTA’s growing student membership now has more than 250 members in both undergraduate and graduate programs representing more than 90 universities located across the globe. “This growth over the past 2.5 years reflects the increasing interest of emerging professionals in public transportation,” shares Lisa Lockman, APTA director of membership operations and a leader of the student program. “Their interests match the needs of the industry—from engineering and planning to finance, government relations, sustainability, and more.”

The student member program ensures young professionals gain valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and increase confidence as they prepare to enter the transit workforce. APTA’s TRANSform & EXPO offers an especially rich environment for growth, to explore innovative technologies, attend educational sessions, and meet with 15 recruiting employer organizations at a job fair.

To help shape the next generation of transportation leaders, APTA’s Student Member Mentorship program is entering its second phase of development, following a successful pilot.

“We welcome and support APTA student members as they explore career pathways and make the key connections that will lead them toward satisfying careers in public transportation,” said Christian T. Kent, CEO of Transit Management Consulting and APTA Membership chair. “Their early professional engagement with APTA enables them to see the tremendous breadth of opportunity our industry offers and identify roles that align with their personal priorities and professional goals.”

Current student members are encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions for future programs at membership@apta.com.