Bill > S356

This bill, the Transportation Opportunities for Professional Service Act or the TOPS Act, aims to develop and improve the transportation workforce. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Establishing a task force to evaluate the current and future state of the surface transportation workforce, identify factors influencing career decisions, and recommend strategies to address workforce needs, including increasing access for underrepresented individuals. 2. Defining various terms related to transportation training and education programs, such as apprenticeship-readiness programs, career and technical education, and intelligent transportation technology. 3. Creating a transportation education and training program that provides grants to support transportation sector education and workforce development projects, with a focus on activities like developing career pathways, providing on-the-job training, and increasing participation of underrepresented individuals. 4. Expanding the eligible uses of surface transportation workforce grants to include activities like on-the-job training, work-based learning, and training in intelligent transportation technologies. 5. Directing the Department of Transportation to designate certain consortia of 2-year institutions as Centers of Excellence in Transportation Workforce Training, which can receive grants to address education and training related to transportation careers. 6. Establishing a transportation workforce outreach program to increase awareness of transportation career opportunities, reduce stigma, and promote diversity in the transportation sector. The bill aims to address workforce needs, particularly in emerging transportation technologies, and increase diversity and opportunities in the transportation industry.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/356/all-info