On August 5, members of the WTS Transportation Academy kicked off their two-week exploration into the many different facets of the transportation industry with a visit to OCTA. Sponsored by The Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) of Orange County, the academy offers undergraduate and graduate college students an opportunity to learn about the diverse career opportunities within the transportation industry and allows OCTA and other area industry organizations an opportunity to educate and attract the next generation of transportation professionals.
Their journey began with a morning panel discussion featuring CEO Darrell Johnson and staff members Lesley Hill, Project Manager of the Environmental Mitigation Program, Carolyn Patterson, Manager of Bus Operations, and Kristin Essner, Program Manager of State and Federal Relations. The panelists shared advice and discussed their roles at OCTA, educational backgrounds, career paths, motivations and mentors, and major lessons learned. Each highlighted OCTA’s accomplishments and future opportunities.
The students then boarded an OCTA bus and headed for a tour of the I-405 Improvement Project, OCTA’s largest project to date. The tour gave students an opportunity to see multiple bridges in different construction phases and learn about OCTA’s public outreach strategies.
WTS is an international organization of transportation professionals committed to excellence in the transportation industry. The transportation academy is just one of the many opportunities the organization provides to students to promote and recognize women in the field of transportation.
