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Studies/Research - information on completed, on-going and planned workforce studies and concept documents
Articles/Presentations - copies of recent articles and presentations on workforce development
Innovative Practices - documents state innovative practices in for workforce planning, career opportunity, recruitment, retention, career development and program review
European Study Tour - information on U.S. delegation tour of Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and France to learn about European workforce policies and practices
Education/Outreach - describes activities for transportation career outreach for K-12, and programs related to transportation professional development, education and training
Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program
Summer Transportation Institute - live link to the Summer Transportation Institute programs for high school students conducted at colleges and universities
Construction Career Programs - live link to CCP website explains program for day long, hands-on operation of highway construction equipment for high school students
University Transportation Centers - live link to the UTC website describing UTC program and summary of UTC programs and activities
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TRANSPORTATION WORKFORCE OVERVIEW

OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL AND CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
APRIL, 2005
WORKFORCE ISSUES:
  • Baby boom retirements. The Rockefeller Institute of Government estimates that 42 percent of the 15.7 million state and local government employees are between the ages of 45 and 64; and will soon be eligible to retire. There are similar projections for the private sector.
  • The transportation industry will compete with other industries for a smaller labor pool of qualified workers.
  • Rapid changes in transportation technology require on-going training for transportation workers.
  • Changes in transportation management including downsizing of state staff and contracting out more activities and greater interaction with the public on more complex transportation issues requires new skill sets.
  • A skilled, technically competent workforce is the single most effective tool the transportation community has to keep pace with increasing demand and to assure the efficient use of limited resources.
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND:
  • The U.S. population has increased by 25 million since 1990 to total more than 280 million today and is expected to reach 300 million by 2010.
  • Vehicle miles traveled is growing twice as fast as the population.
  • As the population grows, suburban sprawl is creating new challenges in addressing issues of highway capacity, congestion, land use and resource utilization.
  • An aging population, with a significant number of drivers expected to be over the age of 65 in the next 20 years will require innovations in roadway design and safety.
STATE DOTS: Over the past decade, state DOTs have experienced an average decrease in fulltime employment of 5.3 percent, while department budgets have increased by 56 percent. Changes in transportation technology and program delivery are driving the need for new skills sets. Reauthorization will increase state program development and delivery responsibilities.
WORKFORCE INITIATIVES REAUTHORIZATION:
  • The House and Senate passed reauthorization legislation includes provisions that will enhance transportation workforce development (see attached summary) including:
    • Continued support for the FHWA core training and professional development programs of; the National Highway Institute, Local Technical Assistance Program and Eisenhower Fellowships. (SAFETEA, House, Senate)
    • Major highway construction and maintenance funds (STP, NHS, Interstate Maintenance, Bridge, CMAQ) to be used, at the discretion of the states, to support student transportation career outreach and preparation activities, and for training in-service workers. (SAFETEA, House)
    • Significant funding increases for the University Transportation Centers Program to support transportation research, education and technology transfer (current and SAFETEA -$32.5M annually; increased in the Senate to $40M for FY04 and $45M for FY05-09 each year; increased in the House to $54.5 for FY04 and $71M for FY05-09 each year). The Senate bill includes requirements for the UTCs to have graduate and undergraduate transportation related degree programs.
    • Support for transportation related education curriculum development. ($1.5M FY05-09) to better align transportation education with transportation industry skill set needs. (House)
    • Authority for the USDOT Operating Administrations and for "non-governmental institutions" to participate in a Transportation Scholarship Program to support undergraduate and graduate student pursuit of transportation related degrees. OA participation not required; funding levels not specified. (SAFETEA, House).
    • Support ($500,000 for FY04 and $1 M FY for 05-09 each year) for the Garrett Morgan Program for transportation career outreach and development (House).
AASHTO ACTION - In a 2004 survey to update the AASHTO Strategic Plan, the state CEOs indicated "training and workforce issues" as one of their highest priorities with in-service training for both professional and technical personnel listed as one of the most pressing needs. AASHTO is undertaking a broad based initiative that will include: 1) reviewing research of "in-service" training issues with an emphasis on state DOT's; 2) surveying the states for in-service training needs; 3) conducting a workshop for state DOT Human Resources Directors and Training Directors at the April 2005 meeting of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Personnel and Human Resources; 4) conducting one to two hour CEO Workforce seminars at each of the four AASHTO regional summer meetings, and 5) developing a summary report to include information on all activities.
TRB STUDY - The Transportation Research Board has completed its study of transportation workforce issues. (Special Report # 275, "The Workforce Challenge, Recruiting, Training and Retaining Qualified Workers for Transportation and Transit Agencies"). Funding for the report was provided by FHWA, AASHTO and TRB. Key report findings include:
  • Surface transportation agencies should invest more in training than is currently the case.
  • More federal surface transportation program funds should be eligible for use by state and local transportation agencies for training and education activities. (Supported by discretionary use of construction and maintenance funds in SAFETEA and House reauthorization)
  • USDOT, in partnership with transportation agencies, the private sector, educational institutions, unions, and employees, should undertake an initiative that focuses on innovation in human resource practices and addresses recruitment, training, retention, and succession management for transportation agency personnel. (USDOT has included workforce development in its Strategic Plan, FHWA has provided a lead in a number of workforce initiatives.)
  • Transportation agencies should partner with universities, community colleges, training institutes, and the LTAP centers to meet agency training and workforce development needs. (FHWA manages the LTAP program and many state DOTS use LTAP services).
  • Transportation agency leaders should make human resource management a key strategic function of their agencies.
NCHRP SYNTHESIS - Tom Warne, a former Utah Department of Transportation Executive Director has completed a NCHRP synthesis titled "Recruiting and Retaining Individuals in State Transportation Agencies." (Synthesis 323) The Synthesis:
  • Provides a comprehensive view of the state DOT approaches to addressing the workforce issue.
  • Identifies "successful practices," that states use in their workforce development efforts.
  • Relies on interviews with state DOT CEOs and managers about workforce development.
  • Includes the results of a three state survey of employees from three states (Maryland, Nebraska, Utah). (Employees took pride in working for a state agency, but generally rated morale as "average." About 25% of the 950 survey respondents indicated they were considering leaving state service with many citing "future salary" and "promotion" opportunities as primary considerations.
  • Includes a state by state listing of successful programs and activities.
  • FHWA supported the Synthesis and participated on the Synthesis review panel.
INTERNATIONAL SCAN - A team of 10 federal and state transportation executives, and representatives from the academic community met with officials of Sweden, Germany, France and Great Britain to identify innovative practices for recruiting, developing and retaining qualified transportation workers. The scan summary report is titled "European Practices in Transportation Workforce Development." Joe Toole, FHWA Associate Administrator of Professional Development served as scan co-chair with Pete Rahn, then Secretary of New Mexico Highway and Transportation Department.
INNOVATIVE PRACTICES - FHWA in cooperation with AASHTO has compiled 16 innovative practices which focus on progressive state DOT workforce development policies and programs. The innovative practices have been distributed to the states, each in a four page format.
NATIONAL WORKFORCE SUMMIT - A National Workforce Summit held May 13, 2002 in Washington DC brought together public and private sector leaders from the transportation and academic communities to focus on the challenges of attracting and retaining a qualified workforce now and for the future. FHWA was a primary Summit sponsor and FHWA Administrator Mary Peters was a keynote speaker. AASHTO was represented by Tony Kane and several state DOT CEOs.
UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS (UTC) - FHWA ($26M) and the FTA ($6M) provide a total of $32.5 million in funding to the 33 universities in the UTC program each year. The UTC program has three objectives:
  1. To conduct transportation research
  2. To develop student knowledge of transportation issues and research
  3. To provide for technology transfer
Many state DOTs are actively involved with the UTCs in their states.
CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAYS PROGRAM - Managed by the FHWA Office of Civil Rights in close partnership with the Associated General Contractors of America, various State DOTs and the educational community, the program provides high school students with hands-on experience in operating heavy equipment and with an opportunity to talk with industry representatives about the construction industry. Construction Career Day Programs have been held or are planned in 20 states.
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