UMass Transit Service, the public transportation system serving the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is teaming up with the College of Engineering’s Transportation Center and Connecticut Transit in Hartford to offer a certificate program in transit management and operations.

The purpose of the program—funded with a federal grant for $127,284 through the Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program—is to prepare the next generation of the transit workforce with training in many aspects of management. The certificate program is expected to draw student employees of the university’s own bus system. It may also help them with something even more coveted among students, especially those about to graduate: employability.

Allan E. Byam, general manager of UMass Transit Service, said the program is ideal for students who become interested in public transit after working for UMass Transit.

“We employ about 200 students, and there are also some who get the ‘transit bug,’” he said. “We had a handshake agreement with transit agencies whereby students get experience and jobs in maintenance, finance, and other areas. The industry loves UMass Amherst grads. This program will help us formalize that.”

Byam said the program will not require the addition of new courses when the university launches it next year.