THERE ARE MORE THAN 400
MECHANIC TECHNICIANS WORKING AT
METRO TRANSIT.
MORE THAN HALF OVER THE AGE OF
50.
FINDING QUALIFIED REPLACEMENTS
ISN'T EASY.
SO TO HELP A METRO TRANSIT
DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TO TRAIN
THE NEXT GENERATION.
JAKE JAKE SHOWS US -- ANGELA
JACOBS SHOWS US HOW.
METRO TRANSIT NEEDS MORE
MECHANICS.
THE OR THING LYNCH GOING.
-- THE TORQUE LYNCH GOING.
IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL SKILLED
MECHANICS TO STAY ON TRACK.
THAT'S WHY THE METRO TRANSIT
TECHNICIAN PROGRAM WAS CREATED.
I WANTED TO JOIN THIS
PROGRAM FOR A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO HAVE A
STABLE CAREER AND, YOU KNOW, TO
SUPPORT MY FAMILY.
IT ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO
WORK FULL-TIME WHILE EARNING AN
ASSOCIATES DEGREE AT HENNEPIN
TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
THIS IS A CAREER MOVE.
THIS IS NOT A JOB.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE
THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE FOR THE
REST OF THEIR LIVES.
METRO TRANSIT SAYS THEY WANT
A DIVERSE GROUP OF WORKERS,
THAT MEANS ENCOURAGING
MINORITIES AND WOMEN TO APPLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS ONE
OPPORTUNITY ITSELF.
I FELT LIKE I HAD TO TAKE IT.
THE PROGRAM MAY BE
DEMANDING.
MY LIFE HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.
BUT IT'S HELPING THESE WOMEN
SECURE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR
CHILDREN.
I TOLD HER I WORK ON TRAINS
AND HER EYES GOT HUGE.
SHE JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS SO
COOL.
NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE OR
WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE YOU CAN
START SOMETHING KNEW.
ANGELA DAVIS WCCO 4 NEWS.
METRO TRANSIT SAYS NO
EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED TO TAKE
PART IN THE PROGRAM.
THE BIG QUESTION IS FUNDING.
