July/August
2001
HELP
WANTED - Meeting the Need for Tomorrow's Transportation Work Force
by Clark Martin
What
sign do you see in the windows of many stores and restaurants in America?
"Help Wanted." And what can you hear from almost every part of the
transportation industry, including private companies and government
agencies? "Help Wanted."
|
The
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction Career Day, with its equipment
displays and hands-on activities, was conducted at the Dallas/Fort
Worth International Airport from Feb. 27 to March 1, 2001, and
2,965 students participated. |
And the
situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. How bad it
gets may well depend on the ability of the transportation industry
to adjust its work force development and management policies and programs,
and even its culture.
A
Growing Problem
The baby boomer generation is moving toward retirement like a tidal
wave. Estimates of federal workers at retirement age or eligible to
retire in the next few years are as high as 53 percent. Sen. George
Voinovich, R-Ohio, until recently the chair of the Senate Subcommittee
on Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring, and the District
of Columbia, calls the work force problem "a crisis in human capital."
A compromised
transportation work force would have serious repercussions for the
U.S. economy. In testimony before the House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said,
"Transportation is key to the productivity, and therefore, the success,
of virtually every business in America."
He should
know. As a former chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee and secretary of commerce in the Clinton administration,
Secretary Mineta has a good understanding of the contribution transportation
makes to U.S. business and the American way of life.
The demand
for transportation continues to increase dramatically. The U.S. population
has increased by 32 million since 1990 to a total of more than 276
million today, and vehicle-miles traveled is growing twice as fast
as the population. Also, freight transportation is increasing rapidly
as point-of-sale, just-in-time inventory systems, and e-commerce become
more common business practices.
The rapid
increase in transportation demand is increasing congestion in urban
and outlying areas. Infrastructure development to address these needs
must be balanced with increasing public concern over land use, air
and water quality, and projects affecting environmentally and historically
sensitive areas. The real challenge for the transportation industry
is how to develop and manage a system that can keep pace with such
a rapidly growing demand, provide for efficiency with safety as a
priority, and balance public interest environmental and land use concerns.
Voinovich's
subcommittee estimates that by 2004, 32 percent of the federal work
force will be at retirement age and another 21 percent will be eligible
to retire - a staggering total of 53 percent or 900,000 employees.
Not all employees eligible to retire will do so, but the subcommittee
conservatively estimates the number of federal retirements by the
year 2010 to be 600,000. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
projects that 45 percent of its work force will be eligible to retire
by 2010.
The Government
Accounting Office (GAO) also has recognized the work force issue as
a significant problem. In testimony to the Senate, David Walker, comptroller
of the United States, testified that "serious human capital shortfalls
are eroding the ability of many federal agencies and threatening the
ability of others to economically, efficiently, and effectively perform
their mission." GAO has added the work force problem to the list of
the government's "high-risk" areas.
If the
work force problem was confined to federal quarters, transportation
policy-makers and managers could breathe a little easier, but it's
not. The problem extends to the state and local transportation work
force as well.
A recent
study by the Rockefeller Institute of Government found that 42 percent
of the 15.7 million state and local government employees were between
45 and 64 years old. Calling it the most "significant talent and brain
drain ever experienced by government," the institute estimates that
a full 40 percent of the state and local government employees will
be eligible to retire in the next 15 years.
The increasing
number of retirements is also expected to have a dramatic effect on
private-sector transportation companies. With the support highway
agencies receive from private-sector contractors, the work force problem
has become truly a transportation community issue.
Loss
of Baby Boomers
These numbers shouldn't surprise anyone. During the "Baby Boom," from
1946 to 1965, 77 million babies were born in the United States. The
baby boomer generation is responsible for much of the planning, design,
operation, and management of the best transportation system in the
world, but now, many boomers are in their fifties and ready to retire.
The other boomers aren't far behind, and when they go, they will take
with them years of experience, institutional knowledge, and competencies
that will be difficult to replace. And ironically, they will create
a new demand for a transportation system that is responsive to the
needs of older drivers who have become accustomed to mobility and
aren't about to have it compromised.
To meet
these challenges, significant changes are needed in the transportation
industry's approach to professional development and business practices.
Without them, the industry may fall further behind.
Planning
for and developing a new work force must begin in earnest, but with
a clear recognition that the new generation of employees will bring
a different set of priorities, values, and talents into the work place.
This new generation grew up in the electronic age, is more comfortable
with change, has greater expectations for job satisfaction, and is
willing to challenge authority and to be challenged by the demands
of their work. The success of the new generation will depend to a
great extent on the ability of employers to use these new attributes
and introduce the emerging work force to innovative approaches in
work force planning and development.
The competition
for qualified professionals will be fierce, as almost every sector
of business, industry, and government grapples with the same problem.
Although the challenge is not unique to transportation, the field
does have its own set of complicating circumstances because U.S. business
and U.S. citizens are so dependent on the transportation system.
The
New Transportation Dynamic
The U.S. transportation system is the critical link for business success
and the recreational and leisure activity that Americans have come
to enjoy - and expect. It is incumbent on transportation planners,
policy-makers, and managers to make things right - now and for the
future. They must deliver an improved transportation system in an
environment in which public and political sentiment are key factors.
Transportation
managers are further challenged by a new dynamic - keeping pace with
the conflicting demands for less government and better transportation.
Over the past decade, full-time employment at the state departments
of transportation, on average, has decreased by 5.3 percent, while
department budgets have increased by 56 percent. This trend is expected
to continue as more and more staff retire and as the reauthorization
of the federal highway program, which is just a short two years away,
is likely to follow the path of its predecessors - the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 and the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998 - bringing a new
set of priorities for transportation managers.
The problem
has another dimension as FHWA and the states increasingly rely on
contractor services to meet transportation "expectations" and "demands."
Not only has the workload for the agencies increased, it has, in turn,
led to more work for the private sector, putting state agencies in
direct competition with commercial companies for a limited supply
of workers.
Changing
roles and responsibilities for federal and state agencies shifted
attention to organizational and resource considerations sometimes
at the expense of work force development. The noted journal Governing
reviewed state government performance on work force development and
found the states lacking.
"The
single biggest component of any state budget is payroll, and the most
important element in the execution of any statewide project is a well-trained
work force ready to make things happen," reported Governing.
"For many years, most state leaders acted as if these fundamental
human resources realities didn't exist. … Personnel systems were rigid,
rule-bound, and unresponsive."
NHI
- Leading the Way |
Efforts
to address the training and development of the transportation
work force will build on a solid foundation - the National Highway
Institute (NHI). NHI, a part of FHWA's Office of Professional
Development, is a staple in transportation training and is celebrating
its 30th anniversary this year. NHI trains current employees,
nurtures some potential employees, and provides outreach and
information exchange services.
NHI develops and delivers high-quality technical training courses
on infrastructure, planning, finance, intelligent transportation
systems, environment, and other areas. Students represent federal
and state transportation agencies and private-sector groups. Last
year, NHI presented more than 550 courses to 16,000 individuals.
In
an effort to improve its outreach and course delivery, NHI is
also piloting four Web-based distance learning courses that
would set a new standard in training programs.
NHI
helps to develop the transportation leaders of tomorrow through
the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program
(DDETFP). The program is designed "to attract, enhance, and
retain the brightest minds in the transportation field," said
Dr. Ilene Payne, director of NHI's Universities and Grants Programs.
Approximately
100 fellowships are awarded annually. Since the program's inception
in 1992, more than 1,000 students have received awards, and
approximately 85 percent of the fellowship recipients have chosen
careers in the transportation industry.
"The
program has already made a significant contribution to the transportation
work force, and with 40 percent to 50 percent of the work force
retiring soon, the Eisenhower fellowships are an educational
investment to ensure that we have competent technical and management
professionals to develop and manage the transportation industry,"
Dr. Payne said.
NHI
also provides training and information exchange programs to
support local highway agencies. Local agencies are pressed for
resources to meet their transportation challenges, and these
agencies are generally not equipped to keep pace with rapidly
changing technology. As a result, they depend on the Local Technical
Assistance Program (LTAP) for help.
There
are 57 LTAP centers: one in each state, Puerto Rico, and six
regional centers serving American Indian tribal governments.
The LTAP centers increase the skills and knowledge of local
providers through training, technical assistance, and technology
transfer, including program-building activities. The LTAP centers
were established to provide the flexibility needed to tailor
programs to meet the varied needs of the local transportation
work force. The centers are located at universities or state
highway agencies and are funded in part by federal LTAP funds,
state DOTs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, universities, local
agencies, and by state legislatures.
|
New
Challenge/New Opportunity
Now that's beginning to change with the recognition of the effect
that retirements will have on the work force and as more and more
agencies consider improvements to their work force development practices.
Clearly, agency commitment and top management support is critical.
Recognizing the work force problem is an important first step. With
management support and a sense of urgency, agencies can take a more
proactive approach to work force planning and development.
The projected
work force shortages are relatively easy to determine and help provide
a focus for the work force issue. However, the consequences of a compromised
transportation system for the general public and for U.S. commerce
and the resulting economic and political repercussions are not as
clearly defined.
Transportation
policy-makers and program managers can more easily relate to the number
of jobs that could go unfilled. What would be the effect on an agency
or program if four or five out of 10 of the work force positions were
left vacant or if the replacement workers did not have the skills
necessary to be effective?
A more
difficult question is: What would be the effect on the transportation
system as a whole and the consequences for business and the public
in terms of lost productivity and competitive advantage, compromised
standard of living, and safety implications?
Addressing
the Challenge
|
Students
participating in the Houston Construction Career Day (CCD)
examine a model of a sports complex. More than 5,100 students
attended the CCD from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2000. |
|
The
Beginning
FHWA established a multidisciplined task force on work force issues.
Chaired by FHWA Deputy Executive Director Vince Schimmoller and Office
of Professional Development (OPD) Director Joe Toole, the FHWA Work
Force Planning and Development Task Force projects that 45 percent
of FHWA employees will be at retirement age or eligible to retire
by the year 2004. The task force identified 37 actions to address
the FHWA work force problem and has already started to take the appropriate
steps.
The recommendations
of the task force focus on improvements in the traditional areas of
recruiting, hiring, and retention. However, they represent an even
broader view that includes issues of professional development, efforts
to improve employees' quality of life at work, and better work force
and succession planning.
In addition
to looking at their own work force needs, FHWA is trying to help the
entire surface transportation community deal with the same issues.
Every element of the community, both private and public, plays a key
role in the delivery of a quality transportation program. Helping
to ensure that this entire enterprise is well staffed with trained
people will go a long way in providing quality transportation systems
in the future.
Understanding
the needs of industry requires not only projections about numbers
but also about the talents, skills, and competencies needed by this
work force. In addition, employees must continue to learn as technology
improves and programs change, and as they advance in the organization,
they will need to develop leadership skills.
FHWA
is working cooperatively with the states and others to help focus
attention on these issues and develop solutions. FHWA recently hired
a full-time work force programs coordinator to raise awareness of
the work force problem and to develop private and public partnerships
to effectively address the problem.
"We know
we've got a problem, and we are making a concerted effort to gain
industrywide recognition of the issue and to identify innovative practices
so we can learn from each other," said Toole. One of Toole's biggest
concerns is coordination.
"We've
got a lot of good people already involved in the work force issue
with a lot of good ideas, but to be successful, we have to coordinate
the efforts and communicate effectively," he said.
University
Transportation Centers (UTC) |
The
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) established
13 new university transportation centers (UTC), and it also reauthorized
14 existing UTC and six centers previously designated as university
research institutes, which were originally funded under the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). TEA-21
also added education as another primary objective of the UTC Program
in addition to transportation research and technology transfer,
which were established as primary objectives in ISTEA. The UTC
Program makes an important contribution to the nation's transportation
research program by helping to develop the transportation work
force through outreach programs for K-12 and by educating future
transportation professionals. With the increasing concern over
labor shortages, UTC are sharpening their focus on work force
development by examining curriculum to assure students are prepared
for a changing transportation industry, by enhancing coordination
and information-sharing among UTC, and by building stronger transportation-career
outreach and educational development programs in grades K-12. |
A Work Force Framework
To help coordinate efforts, the states and FHWA are working together
to develop a "Work Force Framework." The framework is built around
six focus areas that are critical for developing the work force for
the future. These focus areas are work force needs, career opportunities,
recruitment, work force development, retention, and program effectiveness.
For each focus area, objectives have been identified to help develop
strategies for improving current work force programs and to establish
new and innovative approaches for the future.
The framework
is also intended to help bring consistency to the range of activities
of federal, state, local, and private-sector organizations by identifying
major considerations in the work force planning and development effort.
The framework
includes some traditional activities of recruitment and program evaluation,
but it also emphasizes emerging areas considered by many to be critical
to the success of the work force effort. As an example, it links the
planning for the people, skills, and disciplines needed by an organization
to the organization's strategic planning - a tie that has not been
a strong focus in all agencies.
Another
emerging area is the emphasis on career opportunities. More and more
organizations are beginning to recognize that to attract the talent
that they need for the future, it is important to begin planting the
seeds to cultivate interest in young people much earlier. Reaching
out to schools, vocational programs, and universities is an approach
included in this focus area.
Finally,
the focus on retention is changing too. Retention is not a new issue,
but the increasing mobility of our work force presents a stronger
challenge to our retention of qualified workers. Factors that enhance
retention range from quality-of-life improvements to a greater commitment
to training and development.
Some
managers question whether it is worth investing large amounts of money
to train employees who may simply move on to another employer. To
this concern, Thomas Warne, former executive director of the Utah
Department of Transportation (DOT), responded, "What if we don't train
them and they stay?"
Training
and professional development, always an important element of work
force development, is going to play an even greater role as younger,
less experienced workers move into the work force and as current employees
assume greater responsibility as managers retire.
"There
are opportunities now for new and experienced workers, and there will
be even more in the coming years," said Dr. Moges Ayele, director
of the National Highway Institute (NHI). "Preparing them to assume
these new responsibilities will be a challenge because this is not
just training about new programs and new technologies; somehow we've
got to find a way to transfer the value of years of experience to
the new work force."
Executive
Focus |
FHWA
is partnering with the National Executive Potential Program
(EPP) to sponsor a transportation work force development team
that will address the problem of industry-wide work force development.
EPP is a nationwide, competency-based leadership-development
program that prepares selected federal employees for leadership
positions in the government.
The
work force development team brings together participants from
several federal agencies. These participants represent a wide-ranging
mix of skills and backgrounds. The primary objective of the
team will be to identify programs and approaches currently underway
within the public and private sectors to encourage students
in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) to consider careers
in transportation. The team will examine some institutional
issues in our educational system - issues that are relevant
to establishing effective transportation career programs for
K-12 students. The team will develop a strategy - which may
include legislative, organizational, and institutional approaches
to improving the career awareness - to implement career-oriented
programs in the school system. The team expects to present its
findings at the National Work Force Summit in spring 2002.
|
A New Attitude
Clearly, the retention issue has always been important, but it is
taking on a new focus as competition to find and retain top-quality
employees intensifies. While financial compensation is still a primary
consideration for most workers, they also want opportunities to pursue
their own interests and personal growth. Employer contributions to
workers' quality of life and job satisfaction often include flex-time
and telecommuting programs, as well as a greater commitment to innovative
approaches to recognize and reward their workers. Organizations that
excel in these areas are seeing a positive difference in productivity
gains and in retaining quality people.
Filling
the Pipeline
"Once burned, twice shy," Toole said. "We have a pipeline issue. The
retirement problem is driving the work force issue and will for quite
some time. But assuming we can address the current problem, we don't
want to be caught short again. We've got to do a better job taking
our transportation industry message to the prospective work force,
and the earlier we can do it, the better."
Many
agencies and organizations are finding creative ways to reach out
to local schools and youth groups. A new concept is the idea of "living
classrooms" in which the teachers would use major transportation projects
as real-life platforms to teach everything from environmental sciences,
math, and science to history. By using real-world projects, students
in kindergarten through grade 12 - and even in colleges and universities
- can learn about the highway and transportation program in their
classrooms and in the field.
"Our
hope is that by letting young people see and work with transportation
problems, we might spur their interest in a transportation career
or at least provide them with a better appreciation of the benefits
transportation provides to people in their daily lives and in their
communities." Toole said.
Another
innovation has been the introduction of engineering curricula, including
a strong transportation component, in the primary and secondary schools.
Just last year, Massachusetts became the first state to require an
engineering curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12)
- an approach that might be replicated in other states.
The Tufts
University School of Engineering has championed the effort to create
technically literate students by introducing engineering in the public
schools and by serving as a resource for engineering education for
the Massachusetts Department of Education. The dean of Tufts' School
of Engineering, Ioannis Miaoulis, was the key figure in developing
the program and in working with the state for adoption. According
to Miaoulis, the program will "give our kids the essential problem-solving
and design skills they need to succeed in our highly sophisticated,
technological world."
The state
is now in the process of implementing the curriculum in the classroom.
One need is to teach the teachers about engineering, and so, Tufts
is using its engineering graduate students to educate teachers. This
effort is efficient and cost-effective. The university has already
established a satellite program at Stow, Mass., where teachers learn
about engineering and the new curriculum.
The "living
classroom" and K-12 engineering curriculum will build on existing
student outreach programs such as FHWA's Garrett A. Morgan Technology
and Transportation Futures Program. The Morgan Program was established
as a national educational initiative to develop partnerships between
the transportation and education communities. The Morgan Program stimulates
public-private partnerships to help educators integrate transportation
components into the curriculum for each grade level, thereby making
math and science relevant to school children. It builds upon the U.S.
Department of Transportation's relationship with more than 300 adopted
schools; DOT provides mentors, tutors, career information, and other
forms of support for math, science, and technology literacy.
Attracting
New Construction and Maintenance Workers
Another activity that is getting big results is "Construction Career
Day," conducted by FHWA's Office of Civil Rights in close partnership
with the Associated General Contractors of America, various state
DOTs, and the educational community. This initiative is designed specifically
to interest youth in opportunities in the construction industry by
providing high school students with hands-on exposure to the highway
construction industry.
Approximately
1,300 students participated in the initial program in Fort Worth,
Texas, in March 1999. A second event attended by 2,800 students was
held in February 2000. The 2001 Construction Career Day in Fort Worth,
Feb. 27 to March 1, attracted more than 2,900 students. Donning hard
hats and climbing aboard construction equipment, students, supervised
by professional operators, pulled levers and punched buttons until
they got the hang of operating some rather sophisticated pieces of
equipment.
Ed Morris,
director of the Civil Rights Service Business Unit (SBU) in FHWA,
has supported the development and expansion of the initiative.
"It has
been terrific in generating interest in the construction industry.
It provides these young people with a good career opportunity in a
way they can understand. There is just no substitute for the kind
of hands-on experience they get at a Career Day event," said Morris.
Morris
credits the program's success to the efforts of Humberto Martinez,
formerly the civil rights director at FHWA's Region 6 office in Fort
Worth and now the professional development team leader for the Civil
Rights SBU. Martinez has been instrumental in working with private
and public organizations in developing and administering the program
and has been impressed with the commitment of industry to forge an
effective public-private partnership.
"More
than 80 organizations, including FHWA, the Texas Department of Transportation,
and the Associated General Contractors, work together to make Construction
Career Day a success," Martinez said. "It is really amazing to see
the interest these kids have in the program and the satisfaction the
adults get in running it."
Including
past programs and those scheduled through 2002, Construction Career
Day activities are expected to reach more than 45,000 students in
more than 20 states. Morris and Martinez would like to see the program
expand to all other states.
"There
are more than 250,000 unfilled entry-level positions in the construction
and transportation industries today," said Morris. "A lot of these
young people like working outside and working with their hands. The
construction industry offers a great opportunity for them, and these
career days give them a good appreciation for the business."
Morris
also is excited about another pilot project for high school students
managed by the Fort Worth Independent School District, and he would
like to see it replicated in other states. Trimble Technical School
in Fort Worth, in partnership with FHWA, the Associated General Contractors
of Texas, and the Texas Engineering Extension Service of Texas A&M
University, has developed a Highway Construction Program curriculum.
The Trimble program covers heavy equipment operation and includes
courses on preventive maintenance, safety, first aid, estimating,
surveying, and basic soil mechanics. Students spend three days a week
in class and two days at the Texas Engineering Extension Service site
for hands-on training.
"We're
already behind the curve in developing interest in young people in
the construction industry. Construction Career Day fascinates participants
with real-time, hands-on learning about career options and generates
interest in the construction industry, but students need a place to
go to be trained. The Trimble Technical School provides that opportunity
in the Fort Worth area, and we need to provide similar opportunities
in other states."
|
Students
in Houston learn some basic carpentry skills at the Construction
Career Day. |
|
Looking
for New Ideas
The Massachusetts K-12 engineering program, living classroom, and
construction career days are initiatives that could make a major contribution
to developing the transportation work force of the future. However,
with a significant percentage of the work force on the verge of retirement,
there
is
also a need to focus on changes for the short term.
The Work
Force Framework was developed initially in support of a broader effort
to identify the innovative practices of state agencies in work force
development, and a "scan" (tour to observe best practices) of the states
is now underway to do just that. The scan is a cooperative effort among
FHWA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO), and the National Transportation Training Directors.
The New
Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD) is the
lead agency for the effort. The scan is a follow-up to NMSHTD's 1999
study "Staffing Plan Survey of State Transportation Agencies" and
will identify successful practices to address work force issues and
to serve as models for state DOT programs.
"States
have been sharing information for years. With the work force problem
upon us, we need a more structured approach to gathering and disseminating
information, and we think the domestic scan/innovative practices effort
will be a great help to the states and other organizations in developing
the transportation work force," said NMSHTD's director of human resources,
Tony Alarid, who is managing the effort.
Nancy
Richardson, chair of the AASHTO Human Resources Subcommittee, agrees,
"I'm looking forward to the results. I think the scan will help us
come together as an industry to address the problems we have now and
to develop new programs for the future."
In an
effort to move quickly while the more expansive all-state scan is
developed, FHWA has contracted for a preliminary compilation of state
work force innovative practices, focusing on several of the more progressive
work force practices. To date, more than a dozen innovative practices
have been developed and include a wide range of topics from a number
of states, including:
- Kentucky
provides engineering scholarships in cooperation with three state
universities.
- Idaho
has an information technology staff development program for agency
personnel.
- New
York has a dynamic college recruiting program.
- Iowa
DOT markets its positions as "cool careers."
|
|
|
An
opportunity to operate heavy construction equipment - after receiving
some operating and safety instruction - was a fundamental part
of every Construction Career Day. These students from Austin,
San Antonio, and Houston had a grand time. About 850 students
participated in the Austin CCD on April 18 and 19, 2001, and more
than 2,000 students participated in the San Antonio CCD from March
27 to 30, 2001. |
The National
Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) is also studying innovations
in work force strategies and is identifying areas for additional research.
The NCHRP study is a follow-up to "Managing Change in State Departments
of Transportation," a workshop for state DOT chief executive officers,
held in Minneapolis in June 2000, and sponsored by the Transportation
Research Board Strategic Management Committee, FHWA, AASHTO, and Minnesota
DOT. The NCHRP study suggests the development of guidelines for state
DOTs in the succession planning, recruitment, and development of information
technology personnel and in the recruitment and retention of civil
engineers and planners.
The innovative
practices are a clear indication that the states are beginning to
respond to the work force problem through changes in work force policies
and programs. States are beginning to push hiring decisions to lower
levels, streamline employment processes, and enhance outreach for
recruiting. There are also efforts to increase salaries to the highest
levels possible, using position benchmarking and salary surveys. Recruiters
are emphasizing that a DOT is a good place to work - a "family" -
with employee programs such as flex-time schedules and telecommuting.
Many organizations are involving employees more directly in decision-making.
Many states are developing succession-planning programs tied to the
agency's strategic plan and making a greater commitment to professional
development and continuous learning.
International
Scan Action Items |
A
team of 10 transportation officials representing FHWA and AASHTO
conducted an international scan of work force programs. They
met with their counterparts in France, Germany, Great Britain,
and Sweden to identify innovative practices for recruiting,
developing, and retaining qualified transportation workers.
Learning from their European counterparts, the study team identified
14 "action items" to better develop and manage the transportation
work force in the United States.
Career
Opportunities
1. Develop a funding source and industrywide commitment to reach
into grades K-12 to encourage transportation careers.
2. Identify the core characteristics that entry-level people
are seeking in a job in the transportation field.
3. Develop a program to introduce high school and middle school
teachers to transportation careers and issues.
4. Continuously market successes (heroes) in the transportation
industry to young people.
Work
Force Development
5. Define critical leadership roles in the face of a changing
transportation industry.
6. Develop industrywide mechanisms for developing leadership
competencies.
7. Prepare employees concerning changes in the ways in which
governmental services are delivered and who delivers them.
8. Develop new relationships, institutions, and funding sources
to ensure that transportation workers and technicians have industrywide
practical skills and competencies.
Program
Effectiveness
9. Engage the entire transportation industry in the work force
development process.
10. Develop a model similar to Great Britain's Construction
Industry Research and Information Research Association (CIRIRA)
for collecting and disseminating best practices.
11. Integrate work force development and retention into the
key business processes of the organization.
12. Establish a common framework for delivering and measuring
all types of learning.
Recruitment
13. Extend and formalize relationships with high schools, vocational
schools, and community colleges, which are sources of some key
transportation workers.
14. Create a means for attracting more students to civil engineering
and ensure that anyone who wants to be a civil engineer has
the opportunity to do so.
|
International Scan
FHWA and AASHTO are not limiting their search to domestic innovative
practices. Pete Rahn, New Mexico secretary of transportation, and
OPD Director Toole co-chaired a team of 10 transportation officials
that conducted an international scan of work force programs. They
met with their counterparts in France, Germany, Great Britain, and
Sweden to identify innovative practices for recruiting, developing,
and retaining qualified transportation workers.
By all
accounts, the trip was a success. The study team traveled to four
countries in 15 days and met with 53 officials. Now, the team will
share these practices with the U.S. transportation community.
"The
Europeans are also facing the work force issue head on, [but they]
have been more focused on transportation education at the high school
level, which seems to be an advantage for them in developing their
transportation work force," said Rahn.
Germany
has a very strong apprenticeship program. France has a university
devoted exclusively to highway program engineering and management.
Great Britain conducts extensive workshops for technology sharing.
The Europeans
also appear to have closer working relationships between the public
and private sectors. In Great Britain, private contractors work with
public transportation agency officials to develop highway specifications
and proposals, and in Sweden, the government designs, develops, and
administers training programs for public- and private-sector workers.
In Europe,
like the United States, the baby boomers have peaked and are now poised
to leave the work force. The emerging work force is more mobile and
less hesitant to move to a new job. Worker loyalty is to the individual's
development, not to the organization. Employees are more satisfied
when an organization is committed to developing their skills and providing
a challenging work environment. Without these commitments, workers
are likely to move to other employers.
Rahn
was particularly impressed with Great Britain's "Investors in People
Standard," which lists the principles for work force development in
the categories of commitment, planning, action, and evaluation. For
each category, the "Standard" includes examples of how management
and workers can demonstrate a commitment to work force development.
Successful
programs hinge on the ability of senior managers to describe organizational
strategies that have been adopted to support worker development, of
middle managers to explain specific actions they have taken in support
of workers, and of workers to confirm the specific strategies and
actions that have been taken. When all three of these elements are
present, workers believe the organization is genuinely committed to
supporting their development.
The Standard
was "a real indication of the commitment of the organization to its
people and to developing the work force," Rahn said.
Learning
from their European counterparts, the study team identified 14 "action
items" to better develop and manage the transportation work force
in the United States. The study team will release its final report
in spring 2002 at about the same time as a planned National Transportation
Work Force Summit.
According
to Toole, a number of efforts "will come together at that time: the
final report for the international scan will be completed, the results
of the domestic scan will be available, the states will have had an
opportunity to implement several innovative practices, and we will
have had additional experience in addressing the issue."
Welcome
to the Web
A transportation work force Web site at www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/transworkforce
also has been developed to provide information about the issue and
to encourage the transportation community to share information and
experiences. The Web site includes information about the international
scan, posts the innovative practices, provides information on work
force studies and policy decisions, and addresses other topics affecting
the work force issue.
Planning
for the Future
The Web site, work force summit, international scan, and other work
force-related initiatives are designed to bring attention to the issue
and provide information that will help agency managers and decision-makers
to address the work force issues now.
To better
understand the transportation work force of the future, FHWA, AASHTO,
and others have helped support the Transportation Research Board (TRB)
in conducting a "Future Surface Transportation Agency Human Resources
Needs" study to assess the work force needs of transportation agencies
over the next two decades. The study will make recommendations for
recruiting, training, and retaining employees.
"The
study can make a real contribution to the programs and processes transportation
agencies will require to develop, manage, and maintain a work force
suited to their future missions. It may also suggest new programs,
curricula, and continuing education courses for universities and training
organizations that are preparing the future transportation work forces
of DOTs and transit agencies," said Steve Godwin, director of TRB's
Studies and Information Services Division.
The study
will also consider both professional and nonprofessional staffing
needs for state and local highway agencies, transit agencies, and
for private-sector organizations that provide contractual services
to agencies. Construction, maintenance, and service workers are important
segments of the transportation work force and efforts to develop interest
in these areas are critical to the success of the highway program.
Next
Steps
The changing dynamics and increasing demand for a more efficient and
safe transportation system, the challenge to develop and deploy new
technologies, and the pressure on transportation to continue to support
the United States in increasingly competitive international markets
are pushing work force development up the priority list.
It will
take a concerted effort by the entire transportation community - working
individually and in partnerships - to plan, develop, and train the
new transportation work force. Toole suggests some specific actions
organizations can take to address the work force issue:
"Stay
involved by following the results as new information becomes available.
A good source will be the transportation work force Web site. Become
part of the implementation effort, a pilot, a new initiative, or an
evaluation team, and consider what can and should be done in your
own organization. It will be important for managers to become leaders
in effecting change and to share with others so that we can continue
to learn from each other."
Toole
believes our current work force challenges can ultimately result in
significant long-term benefits.
"The
work force problems we are facing should be viewed not only as a challenge
but as an opportunity to establish new and innovative transportation
work force programs for the 21st century."
Clark
Martin is the work force programs coordinator for the Federal
Highway Administration's Office of Professional Development. He works
closely with federal, state, and local government agencies and private-sector
organizations in the development and coordination of programs to ensure
an efficient and effective transportation work force now and in the
future. Martin joined FHWA in December 2000 to fill this newly created
position. He served as director of safety for the American Trucking
Associations (ATA) and as executive director of the ATA Council of
Safety Supervisors. He also served as the national coordinator for
the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) for
the implementation of the Commercial Driver License Program and as
AAMVA director of motor carrier services. He has a bachelor's degree
in government and politics from the University of Maryland.
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Articles in this Issue:
HELP
WANTED - Meeting the Need for Tomorrow's Transportation Work Force
The
Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program: Preparing
for the Future of Transportation
The
Millennium Manual Matters
QuickZone
Iowa's
Approach to Environmental Stewardship
Moveable
Barrier Solves Work-Zone Dilemma
Learning
From the Big Dig
A
Light at the End of the Tunnel
International
Cooperation to Prevent Collisions at Intersections
Pay
Attention - Buckle Up: Safe Driving Is a Full-Time Job