By Mey Lyn Mitteen
Metro | The Source
“When I told my friends that I was going to do an internship with Metro, they thought I’d just be riding buses and trains,” said Megan Guerrero, 18, who recently graduated from high school. “But the TCAP [Transportation Career Academy Program] program is a completely different experience. In my project, I learned how to design a Metro station, add new features and even solve challenges like accessibility and ridership.”
For Guerrero, who has been riding public transit since childhood and who would like to study public service, the program was a perfect fit. Another highlight of the TCAP program for her was the support from mentors and speakers who gave Guerrero a look at how Metro works behind the scenes.
“They gave us advice and resources that will help us as we go into college,” she said.
For 28 years, Metro’s TCAP has given high school juniors and seniors across Los Angeles County the chance to discover careers in transportation. Since the program began, more than 5,200 students have taken part, and over 100 alumni have gone on to work at Metro – some for many years.
The seven-week paid internship blends two virtual sessions and one in-person session each week. Working in teams, students take on simulated real-world projects inspired by department project sponsors on issues confronting Metro every day. These projects focus on things such as urban planning, sustainability, engineering, customer service, ridership and even real estate. Guided by Metro staff, students create solutions and then present their final projects at a graduation ceremony.
This year, more than 200 students completed the program and celebrated their achievements in early August with Metro leaders. But the biggest reward happened earlier in the summer – building confidence, gaining new skills and learning how they might shape the future of transportation.
“TCAP has shown me what I can do and definitely has built my confidence in the path I’ve chosen in public service,” said Guerrero, who plans to study this field in college.
Another student, Joaquín Fonseca, 17, has been riding transit since he was a kid. His team worked on a project to design colorful bus wraps, station art and signage to help Metro shine during the FIFA World Cup 2026™, when our region will host eight matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
“This project got me really excited because I love soccer,” he said. “We thought about incorporating vibrant colors to match the diverse cultures that visit Los Angeles, and how to connect them through public transportation.”
The internship also changed how Fonseca thinks about Metro.
“It’s more than buses and trains – it’s about community,” he said. “The internship taught us the importance of community engagement, that we always need input from the people when it comes to projects or when we design something new that will affect them.”
He also learned practical skills that will stay with him long after the program.
“I grew as a leader, I learned how to support my teammates, and even how to use LinkedIn,” he said. “It was a fun experience plus, after graduation, you also get two units of college credit.”
For Chloe Ung, a rising senior, TCAP was the first place she found that welcomed high school juniors into an internship. She especially appreciated the workshops.
“We learned how to boost our resumes, list references and dress for success,” she said. “Before TCAP, all I had were shorts and T-shirts for summer.”
Now she says that dressing professionally made her feel more prepared to attend events like Metro’s annual State of the Agency, where students saw firsthand how the agency sets its goals for the future.
Ung admits that the internship was intimidating at first.
“You’re put in a group of about 20 people you don’t know, and there are so many projects to choose from,” she said. “But over time, you learn how to communicate and work as a team to move the project forward.”
The experience also changed how she sees her future.
“I thought civil engineering was just building bridges and streets,” she said. “But now I know it can also design bus lanes, train stations, bike paths or even tunnels. There are so many options in transportation.”
She also discovered just how big Metro really is.
“Besides buses and trains, Metro has bike lanes, contracting projects and even a huge headquarters with people everywhere.”
And she’s right – Metro has more than 12,000 employees working across the region. As a young woman interested in engineering, Ung said TCAP gave her courage to keep going.
“Not a lot of women go into engineering, and some feel intimidated,” she said. “This program encourages you not to let anybody stop you. I’ll recommend it to anyone.”
If you’re ready to take that first step, here’s what you need to know: you must be a current high school junior or senior, between 16 and 18 years old, with at least a 2.5 GPA and a U.S. work permit. During the program, you’ll get hands-on work experience, meet professionals from across Metro and explore career pathways you may not have thought about before.
Applications for the next TCAP class open in February 2026. For more information, email tcapmetro@gmail.com or visit: metro.net/tcap.