1. Apprenticeship Standards
APPRENTICESHIP

SacRT Celebrates First Female Graduate of the Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship Program

Sacramento Regional Transit – Bus Maintenance
Bus Maintenance Training Department

Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) made history recently when it celebrated its first female graduate of the Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship Program, Brianna Harrison. She completed her training on April 1 and was celebrated along with Anthony Bertuccelli who finished his apprenticeship in August of 2021, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented gathering for formal recognition until recently.

Anthony Bertuccelli (left) and Brianna Harrison (right) show off their Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship for Bus Mechanic.

Before candidates are selected for the Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship Program, they must first complete 17 technical modules specific to this classification, wait for an opening in the program, gain approval from DAS, the US Department of Labor, and the SacRT Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC). The JATC is made up of members of the IBEW Union, maintenance trainers, subject matter experts and management. The Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship Program at SacRT began its relationship with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) on September 19, 2016.

“I had a great experience being in the apprenticeship program! A portion of my training included attending vocational school and I loved being able to utilize the skills taught in school immediately in the workforce,” said Brianna Harrison. “I know of no other training that offers this! Also, being trained here at RT by such knowledgeable and passionate people (some of whom also completed this program), was such a pleasure!”

“I recently completed the Bus Mechanic Apprenticeship program at SacRT and couldn’t be happier with my experience,” said Anthony Bertuccelli. “The hands-on training was incredibly valuable. Also, I appreciated the focus on safety and efficiency. I consider the knowledge and experience I gained invaluable, as it set me up for success with my career.”

Both Bertuccelli and Harrison completed a one-year Diesel Technology Certificate Program through American River College, the local education agency, and spent the remainder of the program through scaled, on-the-job training. The length of the program is generally three years, but previous mechanical experience can be weighted to reduce the course duration.

July 2023