A New Approach for Construction Workforce Training and Certification
A well-trained workforce is a more efficient and effective workforce.
With that goal in mind, the Transportation Curriculum Coordination
Council (TCCC), formed in the summer of 2000, has dedicated itself
to improving training opportunities for transportation workers. The
Council's goals also include developing a national core curriculum
that can be used by any agency and building partnerships among State
highway agencies and industry associations so as to save time and
costs in developing training materials.
The TCCC, whose members include representatives from State highway
agencies, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and its National Highway
Institute, and industry associations, recently held its second meeting
in Williamsburg, Virginia. Members discussed progress made to date
and goals for the coming year.
The Council brings together five regional training and certification
groups, each of which gave updates on their recent work at the meeting.
The Mid-Atlantic Region Technician Certification Program (MARTCP)
offers several training programs to its participating States, including
Soils and Aggregate Compaction Technician, Aggregate Technician, Hot-Mix
Asphalt Field Construction/Paving, and Pavement Markings Technician.
"The training manuals for each program do not contain specifications
and are generic enough that they can be used by anyone," says
Woody Hood of the Maryland State Highway Administration.
The Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction (WAQTC),
which serves 12 Western States, is now in its fourth year. The Alliance
offers standardized instruction and certification in five areas: embankments,
concrete, aggregate, density, and asphalt testing. Generally there
is reciprocity among member States in recognizing technicians certified
by a member of the Alliance. Some States, however, have add-on requirements
that must be fulfilled before a technician can work in that State.
The Alliance has a Web site (waqtc.org) that contains links to each
of the member State Department of Transportation sites. While each
State maintains its own database of qualified employees, a single
numbering system is used so employees can be tracked by number by
different States.
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The
five regional training and certification groups offer
a range of training programs for highway workers. |
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Twelve Southeastern States, meanwhile, have joined together to form
the Southeast Task Force for Technician Training and Qualification
(SETFTTQ). "The Task Force's goal," says Tom Malerk of the
Florida DOT, "is to share information to assist in developing
individual States' training and qualification programs." Current
priorities include developing a shared training program library, updating
existing training programs, and developing new training programs based
on the congregate needs of the member States. The SETFTTQ's Web site
(www.dot.state.fl.us/statematerialsoffice/setaskforce/)
provides contacts for each State's training programs.
The North Central Multi-Regional Training and Certification Program
(M-Trac) has 10 members, with many of its States following reciprocity
policies for certifying highway workers. According to Chris Anderson
of the Iowa DOT, current needs identified by M-Trac include developing
field construction courses, basic materials courses for maintenance
staff, and train-the-trainer courses for lab technicians.
Nearly 2,500 people have been certified by the New England Transportation
Technician Certification Program in various work areas, with many
more courses expected to be available next year. New training courses
in development include Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA) Paving Inspector and
Soils and Aggregate Technician.
Council members also discussed greater partnering efforts among the
different regional groups. As Lee Onstott of the New Mexico State
Highway and Transportation Department noted, "There are a lot
of reasons why we need to get together and coordinate our efforts."
These include a shortage of experienced and trained personnel that
is faced by all States and the need to reduce redundancy and cut time
and costs. "There is no need to develop five slightly different
training modules. Do it once and do it right," says Onstott.
Coordination will be aided by a new TCCC Web site that is being developed.
The Web site will include core training materials in various subject
areas that can be used as qualification or certification tools by
States.
Training materials currently under development by TCCC members that
have been identified as top priorities include a geotechnical course
on drilled shaft training, an HMA construction course, and training
for quality assurance technologists.
The TCCC work received a boost this summer when the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Subcommittees on Construction
and Materials both voted in favor of a resolution supporting a national
pooled-fund effort to support training development. This concept has
also received support from the Association of General Contractors
and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.
For more information on the TCCC, contact Howe Crockett at FHWA,
360-696-7750 (fax: 360-696-7846; email: howe.crockett@fhwa.dot.gov),
or John Perry at FHWA, 202-366-2023 (email: johna.perry@fhwa.dot.gov).
For more information on contacting the regional training and certification
groups, see sidebar.
Contacts
Mid-Atlantic Region Technician Certification Program (MARTCP)
Woody Hood, Maryland State Highway Administration, 410-321-4100
(email: whood@sha.state.md.us)
North Central Multi-Regional Training and Certification Program
(M-TRAC)
Chris Anderson, Iowa DOT, 515-239-1819 (email: christie.anderson@dot.state.ia.us)
New England Transportation Technician Certification Program
(NETTCP)
Chris Bowker, NETTCP, 781-837-2680 (email: nettcp@netway.com)
Bruce Yeaton, Maine DOT, 207-287-2171 (email: bruce.a.yeaton@state.me.us)
Southeast Task Force for Technician Training and Qualification
(SETFTTQ)
Jack Cowsert, North Carolina DOT, 919-733-7088 (email: jcowsert@dot.state.nc.us)
Tom Malerk, Florida DOT, 352-337-3170 (email: tom.malerk@dot.state.fl.us)
Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction (WAQTC)
Tom Baker, Idaho DOT, 208-334-8439 (email: tbaker@itd.state.id.us)
Garth Newman, Idaho DOT, 208-334-8039 (email: gnewman@itd.state.id.us)
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Other
articles in this issue:
A
new approach for construction workforce training and certification
Keeping
good roads good
The
next generation of technology
Reaping
the benefits of the LTPP investment
Data
integration: Key to practice of asset management
Highway
technology calendar
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