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| FHWA > Engineering > Construction > Fact Sheets > Partnering for Workforce Training: Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council |
Construction and Maintenance Fact SheetsPartnering for Workforce Training: Transportation Curriculum Coordination CouncilApril 2002 FHWA-IF-02-032 A new partnership of government and industry is drawing on training resources from across the nation to support training and certification of highway construction inspectors, technicians, and engineers--while minimizing duplication of effort and helping public agencies to maximize their training dollars. This partnership includes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and its National Highway Institute (NHI), three American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittees, five Regional Training and Certification Groups representing 46 State transportation agencies, and industry associations, working together through the Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council (TCCC).
TCCC was established to help State agencies and highway contractors meet their training needs. By coordinating industry-wide efforts to improve training resources, the partnership will save agencies time and funds. Top priorities are building a training Web site, pooling funds and efforts, and developing a complete curriculum of core training materials across highway construction subject areas. To build the curriculum, TCCC will draw on existing programs and identify areas where new course development is essential or updates are needed. Training Curriculum--Do It Once And Do It RightThe partnership is well on its way to producing a complete curriculum of training requirements for the highway construction team. When the curriculum is complete, the TCCC will identify existing courses--available through NHI and the five Regional Training and Certification Groups, as well as industry and State training programs--that fulfill specific curriculum requirements. In subjects where training materials do not yet exist, TCCC will set priorities for development. In some areas, training materials are already under development. Training in quality assurance technologies, for example, has emerged as an important requirement. The logic behind the TCCC curriculum is simple: Rather than each State expending resources to develop a training module on, for example, asphalt testing certification, or to update existing courses, pool resources and knowledge in a shared body of generic training materials from which States can draw. Such partnership in training development has clear cost and time benefits for highway agencies and, by promoting uniformity, sets the groundwork for reciprocity arrangements where desired. Workers benefit as well, in broader opportunities for training and advancement and greater employment mobility. Thus, coordination of existing training resources and course development is a major TCCC function. But TCCC also serves, through its Web site, as a clearinghouse for information exchange and dialogue on training issues. New Training Development Web SiteTCCC's new Web site--http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/tccc/--will be the focal point for nationwide training efforts, with links to the Regional Training Groups and State training program administrators, cross-referenced by topical area (asphalt, aggregates, Portland-cement concrete, soils, etc.). Through the linked regional sites, a wealth of information on State certification programs and requirements is available. The online searchable catalog of available national, regional, and State training opportunities contains a variety of highway construction courses. Eventually the site will host an online discussion forum on training issues and carry the TCCC-approved curriculum and core training materials that can be used as qualification or certification tools by States. While the Web site is being expanded, TCCC is moving ahead with another priority: Funds for training and certification are limited, so establishment of a national, pooled-fund effort to support training development is a major priority for the TCCC partners. National Pooled-Fund Project For Training DevelopmentIn December 2001, AASHTO's Standing Committee on Highways approved the TCCC's resolution supporting a national pooled-fund project for training development. The project is supported as well by the Association of General Contractors and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. This effort is expected to generate annual funding of up to a million dollars to support TCCC's work. The five-year project will undertake these activities:
FHWA and NHI will continue to share the costs of course development with the pooled-fund project participants. For more information on how to get involved, please contact your local FHWA division office or -- Howe Crockett, WFL, Construction Operation Engineer for the National Park Service Telephone: 360-696-7750 Fax: 360-696-7846 E-mail: Howe.Crockett@fhwa.dot.gov or Jim Sorenson, Senior Construction and System Preservation Engineer Telephone: 202-366-1333 Fax: 202-366-9981 E-mail: james.sorenson@fhwa.dot.gov Federal Highway Administration, Room 3211 400 7th Street, SW Washington, DC 20590
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This page last modified on 06/05/07 |
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Rebuilding the highway workforce is an industry priority as agencies across the country face a serious shortage of trained and experienced personnel resulting from attrition and an aging workforce. At the same time, cutting-edge pavement preservation and construction technologies demand new skills and knowledge from highway workers. Training is also an important contributor to customer satisfaction: accelerated construction and high-quality products are important training by-products. By using qualified, certified personnel, agencies experience more accurate and reliable test results, reduced potential for agency-contractor disputes, and fewer project failures.