Training and Professional Learning Annual Programs

Every year the Division of Training & Professional Learning offers a number of high-quality conferences and online programs to help enhance our members' union and leadership skills, as well as providing a wide range of professional development options for members at all stages of their careers.

The MTA held its first Juneteenth celebration in 2022. Hosted by the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, MTA members and their families gathered to mark the holiday and reflect on the historical meaning of the event. The federal holiday marks the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865 — two months after the surrender of Confederate forces in the Civil War — and told Black people who had been enslaved that they were free.

The Aspiring Educators Conference is an opportunity for students – members of the Student Education Association of Massachusetts – to convene to access high-quality professional development, learn from the New Member Committee and socialize with peers.

MTA Bargaining Summits help locals across the state transform their negotiations and win strong contracts through democratized bargaining. The summits help MTA locals maximize their members’ involvement and assert their members’ collective power through Contract Action Teams.

MTA’s Early Career Educators Conference, designed for PreK-12 teachers, paraprofessionals and higher education members in their first five years of practice, presents early career and aspiring educators with the perfect opportunity to meet with colleagues and learn how to strengthen their skills.

Designed for MTA Education Support Professionals, this conference offers professional development, networking and fun. It's a great experience – a chance for ESPs to have the space to explore their roles in public education, their workplaces and their unions.

Held annually in April, this conference is tailored for both Higher Ed and PreK-12 ESPs and their allies.

The MTA Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee Conference offers participants the opportunity to engage in discussions about white privilege and racism, ethnic and racial identity, and economic and social justice. The conference uses workshops, presentations and entertainment to inspire participants to work on ideas for action and to bring those ideas back to their locals, classrooms and communities.

Learn about the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee

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The Retired Members Committee is hosting a speaker series. These workshops, held on the first Wednesday of each month, provide a great opportunity to learn about important issues, gain new skills, connect with colleagues, advocate for our students and schools, and hear from MTA leaders.

The MTA Summer Conference is a great resource for MTA members, offering union education and professional development sessions as well as speaker series, town halls, movie nights and more.

Every winter, the Division of Training & Professional Learning offers skill-building workshops for union activists and leaders.