This document summarizes discussions from a series of 2010 regional summits focused on transportation workforce development. The summits identified common themes such as the need to update transportation curricula to attract diverse students and foster innovation, strengthen links between research and workforce needs, and establish a national clearinghouse of transportation workforce information and resources. The summits also highlighted gaps in recruiting and retaining women and underrepresented groups in transportation professions.

1. TWD
TRANSPORTATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: A
UNIVERSITY-BASED APPROACH TO SUPPORTING A
NATIONAL STRATEGY
JUNE 8, 2010
Robert Plymale, Rahall Transportation Institute
John Collura, University of Massachusetts
June 8, 2010

2. Agenda
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• UTC TWD Roles and Regional TWD Summits …….John Collura
• DOT RITA TWD Update …………………………..Curt Tompkins
• A N ti l TWD St t
National Strategy ………………………Lydia M
L di Mercado
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• A National TWD Summit/Group Discussion....................Diana Long
• Summary and Next Steps…………………………John Collura

3. Why focus on workforce development?
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UTCs are in unique position:
•I l
Implementing i
ti innovations th
ti through research
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• Attracting next generation into the industry
• Developing the KSAs of next generation
and current professionals and technicians

4. UTC Roles
• Research (basic & applied and some on TWD issues)
• Technology Transfer (Implement research results)
• Ed
Education (d
i (degree, certificate)
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• Training (CEUs and PDHs)
• Information Dissemination/Technical Assistance
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•Collaboration (CE and EE Dept, SCs, Pro Org/Assoc)

5. Regional Summits – 2009
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North Dakota State University
September 10, Fargo, ND
PRIMARY FOCUS
• Public transportation
Identified solutions to workforce development issues
Developed action plans
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Took ideas back and implemented them in order to “make a
difference”
RESULTS
• Improved perspective and understanding among participants of
Industry image
Worker retention
Higher education
Internships

6. Regional Summits – 2010
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University of Vermont
January 27-30, St. Petersburg, FL
PRIMARY FOCUS
• Workforce Development Institute of AACC
• Forum on Transportation Workforce
RESULTS
• Engagement with key workforce leaders in community
colleges
• Identification of next steps for community college
involvement in transportation workforce development

7. Regional Summits – 2010
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METRANS/MTI Cal State Long Beach
February 1-2, Long Beach, CA
PRIMARY FOCUS
• Explored the role of universities and other educational
institutions as partners in transportation workforce
development
RESULTS
• Highlighted effective programs and best practices
• Focused on gaps between community colleges and four-
year universities

8. Regional Summits – 2010
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Pennsylvania State University
April 21-22, University Park, PA
PRIMARY FOCUS
• Civil engineering, K-12, education, industry, recruitment,
training, retention, economic and workforce development
RESULTS
• Id ifi d common elements across various modes that
Identified l i d h
make the transportation professional
• Developed a broader perspective of how to educate
people in transportation

9. Regional Summits – 2010
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Midwest Transp. Consortium/Iowa State Univ.
Transp Univ
April 27-28, Ames, IA
PRIMARY FOCUS
M OCUS
•Educational and training needs of the transportation workforce of
the future (years 2030 to 2050); focus on women and other
underrepresented population segments
• Identified strategies to address these needs across various career
paths
RESULTS
• Identified needs opportunities, challenges, and examples of
needs, opportunities challenges
best practices for attracting, educating, training, and
retaining a diverse and effective workforce

10. Regional Summits – 2010
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University of Denver
April 29-30, Denver, CO
PRIMARY FOCUS
•State DOT, Intermodal education, women, private
industry (trucking, rail, consulting)
RESULTS
•Identified gaps i attracting women, N i A
Id ifi d in i Native Americans,
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other underrepresented population segments
•Identified lack of research and data on women in
Identified
transportation

11. Regional Summits – 2010
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University of Tennessee (Knoxville)
May 11, Nashville, IA
PRIMARY FOCUS
• Education (Race to the Top and TN Diploma Project),
STEM, highway, civil engineering, workforce investment
programs, trucking, logistics and supply chain education,
K-12
RESULTS
• Began to identify the transportation workforce needs
for the region

12. Common Themes
Transportation should be a Career Destination, not coincidence from
trucker to manager!
Curriculum needs to be updated to foster innovation and address
emerging technology
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Research and curriculum need to be more strongly linked to the workforce
Diversity is not addressed in curriculum design
(i.e, doesn't appeal to today's t h savvy students, women, minorities)
(i it d t lt t d tech t d t i iti )
Mentoring begins at the college level (or before!):
there should be student intern opportunities to engage students while
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they are pursuing their degrees
Core location to find information or share ideas

13. Workforce Research Needs
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General Transportation Research should be linked to
TWD
Development of innovative pedagogy based on
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Diversity, Learning styles of Millennials
Vocational through Graduate!
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Transportation modes
Analysis of demographic trends as part of
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organizational workforce assessment and planning
Diversity
Work/Life Balance
Highly skilled versus mid-level skilled workers

14. National Information Clearinghouse
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Internships
Training
Community College Partnership
Retraining for downsized industries
Resources
Transportation Curriculum
Vocational, Community College, University
Graduate Degrees and Certificates
Engineering Skills
Management Skills

15. 15
Recruitment and R t ti
R it t d Retention
Recruitment
Generate interest in STEM topics at K-12
Promote transportation careers as a GREAT choice
Partnering
Retention
Salaries
Wo p ace be e s:
Workplace benefits: job sharing, flex time, e c.
s a g, e e, etc.
Mentoring
Sabbaticals and Professional Development
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16. KSAs Mapping
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Greater integration of industry needs into university
and college transportation curriculums
Broader technical and management skills
outsourcing, accountability requirements, etc.
Curriculum (all levels) in emerging areas
High Speed Rail
Sustainability/Alternative Energy
Intelligent Transportation Systems
Innovation

17. Partnering
17
Innovation in transportation education
Residency programs
Mentoring programs
Job shadowing/internships
Greater efficiencies
Improved understanding of constraints
Practical opportunities for students, faculty, and
practitioners
Better definition of transportation professional image
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