Washington, DC

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser launched a new pilot Workforce Training Program designed to prepare residents for careers in transportation as sign installers. The Mayor also kicked off #GoodSignDC – a social media initiative that calls on residents and motorists to help DC Government replace confusing or dysfunctional street and parking signs.

“We created the Infrastructure Academy to ensure that more Washingtonians have the skills they need to fill the good-paying jobs that exist in our city,” said Mayor Bowser. “As we continue to invest in our city’s infrastructure, we’re going to need more street sign installers. This new partnership ensures that residents not only receive training, but are also connected to ready-made employment opportunities.”

The pilot program is a partnership between the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). The 12-month training program includes two weeks of required classroom instruction at the DC Infrastructure Academy, preparing participants for entry-level transportation positions. Trainees will then receive six weeks of on-the-job training with DDOT’s Street Sign Installation unit, earning a wage of $16.10 per hour. Upon completion of the program, participants will gain hands-on experience in sign installation and earn certifications in Flagger and OSHA-10 Construction Safety. Trainees who have completed the program will also have the opportunity to compete for employment opportunities at DDOT. The 12-month program began April 1, 2019, with six District residents enrolled in the first cohort.

“As we continue to expand training opportunities at the DC Infrastructure Academy, our partnership with the DC Department of Transportation further ensures Washingtonians receive a fair shot at job stability,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “This new program offers job seekers an entryway into an in-demand industry, by providing education and career services that will prepare them for future full-time employment in the transportation sector.”

The Bowser Administration opened the DC Infrastructure Academy in 2018 as a way of training more District residents for high-paying jobs and careers in the fast-growing infrastructure industry. The academy provides residents with training opportunities in various sectors of the infrastructure industry, including transportation, where participants can earn their Commercial Driver's License, enroll in automotive technician training, and more.

“Infrastructure is a critical component to the future of the District’s thriving economy,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “The Infrastructure academy provides us with the pipeline of skilled workers that we need as we look at the future of transportation in the District.”

Through April 15, residents are encouraged to share #GoodSignDC on social media to alert the District government to confusing parking signs and other street signs that need replacement.