A new program created by employees within the City of San Diego’s Transportation Department is peer support at its finest! In response to difficulties attracting and retaining skilled equipment operators, staff in the Transportation Department took it upon themselves to revive a career building opportunity with the launch of a hands-on training program. 

Development of the program content and even the training location were achieved through a collaborative group effort by Transportation staff. This team spirit was further demonstrated by the time invested by both trainers and participants, who dedicated their Saturdays over several months after their regular work weeks ended. 

“Building and growing our capabilities from within will continue to be key as we deliver more infrastructure even faster,” said Bethany Bezak, Transportation Department Director. “The best way to achieve this is to create training and promotional opportunities for our staff. This pilot program demonstrated all the best in San Diego at Work with our seasoned supervisors and equipment operators training our own employees.” 

Building on previous experience, the Transportation Department collaborated with Human Resources, Personnel and Park and Recreation departments to move the program forward. This joint effort established a path for candidates to obtain equipment operator certification without the formal operator test. 

Candidates who successfully attended all training sessions and completed all elements of the Alternative Certificate are now certified as meeting Personnel’s performance exam requirements for the classification. 

The successful candidates can now apply for the Equipment Operator II position and waive the performance exam since they have demonstrated equivalent proficiency via the new training program. 

A graduation ceremony was held on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, to congratulate the 20 employees who completed the program and are now eligible to apply for the position. Four of these employees have already accepted positions, three in the Transportation Department and one other in the Environmental Services Department. 

The training program was not only a success but also set a strong foundation for future training opportunities.