The PIT2Work pre-apprenticeship program began about one year ago as a first-of-its-kind airport workforce development initiative.  

Recently, the program celebrated the start of its fourth group of students, welcoming to the PIT campus 15 participants eager to take the first step of their careers in the skilled trades.  

One year after its inception and with the start of yet another cohort, it was fitting—serendipitously so—that PIT2Work receive acclaim as a Fast Company 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards honoree.   

“We wanted to have a positive impact within our community,” said Alicia Booker, director of Workforce Development at PIT. “We wanted to do our part as an airport, a place of innovation and a neighbor.” 

Hosted in association with Partner4Work and Gateways Pittsburgh, the five-week PIT2Work pre-apprenticeship program offers hands-on training opportunities at one of western Pennsylvania’s largest, most visible construction projects—the new PIT airport. 

“With each PIT2Work cohort, we see the direct impact the program is making on our students, and indirectly, we are seeing that impact intensify to improve our students’ families and their communities,” Booker said. 

 The 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards recognize innovative ways organizations are addressing modern challenges, with PIT2Work garnering accolades in the Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility and Education categories.  

This is the second honor bestowed on the program by Fast Company. Earlier this year, the magazine recognized PIT2Work as one of its Most Innovative Companies in Transportation.  

 Additionally, the National Association of Workforce Boards awarded PIT with the W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award for its support of the Pittsburgh region’s workforce through PIT2Work. 

 PIT is pioneering what an airport’s role can (and should) be within the communities it serves. It is doing this in a way that encourages opportunity not only for those participating in PIT2Work but for their friends and families as well—PIT is generating legacy, Booker said. 

 “We are proud to be recognized for our efforts in bringing PIT2Work to our community,” said Booker. “But what we are most proud of are our students, who are building not only our new airport but also a better future for themselves and their families.”