Professional Development
Two percent of salary costs earmarked annually to pay for learning and development opportunities for Volpe staff
Since the Volpe Center is a knowledge-based organization, strong investment in learning and development is critical to the success of the Center and is a top priority of senior leadership.
Area Universities and Professional Development Centers
The Volpe Center's outstanding technical and policy expertise may be in part attributed to its central location among some of the finest colleges and universities in the United States such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, Tufts University, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Lowell. In addition, there are a number of professional development centers in the local area providing expert training in a wide range of technical and professional disciplines.
Volpe Fellows Program
The Volpe Center Fellows Program encourages the continuing professional development of employees by paying for tuition, fees, and book expenses in graduate or postgraduate programs that directly support the DOT or RITA Strategic Plans and/or Volpe Center work areas, core disciplines, or long range goals.
Tuition reimbursement and payment of travel expenses for job related training/development events
In addition to the Volpe Fellows Program, leadership actively encourages all of its employees to enhance their expertise through a wide variety of professional development opportunities. The Volpe Center reimburses tuition costs and provides the necessary resources for travel and related expenses, if the learning event is offered in another location.
On-going core competency/skill development programs offered on site
Employees are encouraged to keep current and expand the competencies that support them in their professional fields. Seminars and training courses are run onsite at the Volpe Center to enhance such core competencies as team building, project management, technical writing, and oral presentation.
Career Counseling Services
The Volpe Center's Career Counseling Program is designed to assist employees in making decisions about the direction and focus of their careers, providing one-on-one feedback on strengths, developmental needs, and professional options.
Individual Development Planning Program
The Center's Individual Development Plan (IDP) Program provides managers and employees with a collaborative framework for planning and accomplishing developmental objectives through a three-step process of 1) self assessment to determine strengths and gaps relevant to current or anticipated roles and duties, 2) identification of developmental strategies that will accelerate learning and growth, and 3) documentation of the development plan (IDP) to guide the direction and focus of the employee's development over the course of the year.
