Transportation Workforce
Development
AASHTO Human Resources Subcommittee
Annual Meeting
Clark Martin
Office of Technical Services
Federal Highway Administration
May 20, 2013
Mobile, Alabama
Workforce Development
Continuum
COLLEGE
K-12
Awareness
of Field
Build Skills
EMPLOYMENT
Rehire
Employment/
College/
Graduate
Technician
School
Choices Stay in
Early
Development
Major
Career
Choices
Choices
USC Section 504(f)
Transportation Education Development Program
 Grant Program to develop transportation
curriculum /programs
 $1.875 million, each year, FY06-09
 Grants limited to $300,000 each recipient
 100% federal
 Institutions of higher education
K-12
FAST FORWARD; Monthly Electronic Transportation Magazine
directed to middle, high school and community college students and
teachers - 4th issue out next week. Next issue September
www.fastforward.unl.edu
Grades 6-12 transportation lesson plans integrated into math,
science, social studies classes: www.transportationcareers.org
 135 hour Introduction to Transportation course; 9th – 10th grades;
developed by Maryland Dept. of Education with US Dept. of Education
grant
U. of Vermont High School Transportation Systems Academy
Additional Summer Transportation Institutes; @ 50 in place
Continue Construction Career Day Clearinghouse/Technical Support
Tie together into a cohesive National Strategy
Community Colleges
 Transportation Lessons Plans integrated in curriculum
 Replicate successful curriculum (Truckee Meadow CC
engineering technology course)
Challenge of Community College support for
transportation – local connection
 Identify transportation jobs that community college
curriculum can support (engineering tech/TDL)
 Best practices for high school, community college,
college pathway
 US Department of Labor curriculum development grants
University
Possible for FHWA Support
 University of Oregon Sustainable Cities Initiative:
Multi-discipline Teams Support Local Transportation
Projects
 Introduction to Engineering – 12 university consortium;
Experiential curriculum to encourage freshman/
sophomores to pursue transportation engineering careers
 Identify/Promote Best Practices for technical/soft skills
curriculum
Professional Development
 Penn State/North Dakota State Certificate Program
 Expand University of Baltimore/Maryland SHA
professional development to other occupations
 (job classifications >competencies > education/training)
 U. of Vermont State DOT Transportation Academy
 Focus on Leadership Skills, Succession Planning
 Compress Knowledge and Skills to Prepare Next
Generation of Transportation Leaders
Other
Working to extend University of Vermont TEDP; Focus on
Career Pathways including State DOT Transportation System
Institute
 Southeast/Midwest Regional Workforce Centers to
provide for communication/coordination for transportation
across transportation/education/labor
RFA to be released in next three weeks
Institutions of higher education eligible to submit proposals
Hope to expand to at least two other Region Centers in next
authorization
 Virtual Career Network; In place for health industry
 APTA/Rutgers University developing for transit with FTA grant
 Possible Transportation VCN through Region Center websites
23 USC Section 504(e)
 Provides for state core funds to be used for training, education, workforce
development-100% federal funding; no state match
 Since inception in SAFETEA-LU; 41 state have used $71 million
 Reauthorized in MAP-21
 MAP-21 core programs are National Highway Performance Program;
Surface Transportation Program; Highway Safety Improvement Program;
Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality
 Bridge, Interstate Maintenance, National Highway System no longer core
state programs
 FHWA revised guidance available in the next two weeks.
National Transportation
Workforce Summit
 April 24-26, 2012 - Washington, DC
 Brought together key private and public sector transportation, and
education and labor workforce develop interests
 Identify issues/barriers to workforce development, successful programs,
develop/support national strategy
 Institutionalize Transportation Workforce Development processes/best
practices
 Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Assistant Secretaries for
Transportation, Education and Labor. Eight CEO panel including John
Horsley, breakout sessions, discussion, issues/strategies/actions
 www.cutcworkforce.com CUTC Workforce Workgroup continues to focus
on what UTCs can do to address Strategies identified at Summit