Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance (2022)

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1   State departments of transportation (DOTs) play a critical role in ensuring the integrity of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. Individuals in the design, construction, and maintenance workforce are trusted to ensure that infrastructure in the United States is safe, ecient, and eective. However, many DOTs around the country are nding it dicult to maintain a strong and fully capable workforce in these three occupational areas given the number of industry changes that are taking place and will continue to develop over the next decade. To determine the most pressing challenges DOTs across the country are facing, the research team performed a comprehensive review of relevant transportation literature and conducted interviews and focus groups with seasoned industry professionals. e team also partnered with esteemed transportation industry experts from regional workforce centers and universities. As a result of these research and information-gathering eorts, the research team identied 10 widespread challenges DOTs are facing, especially in the design, construction, and mainte- nance occupational groups: • Adoption of new technologies • Economic challenges • Rise of multi-modal transportation • Resiliency planning • Blue-collar stigma • Slow hiring practices • Popularity and expectation of exible workplace policies • Diculty recruiting and retaining mid-level or young sta • Steady downsizing of DOT sta • Generational or tenure-related dierences To better understand the landscape for transportation design, construction, and maintenance, including the skill needs for mission-critical jobs in these three occupations and the supply and demand for relevant talent, a labor-market analysis was performed. is labor-market analysis resulted in the development of job proles for the priority jobs at DOTs in the three main occupational areas, which then helped guide the development of organizational strategies pre- sented later within this Guide. ese strategies address the major workforce challenges faced by these three important transportation occupational areas. is Guide details each of the identied workforce strategies and associated action plans to demonstrate how to implement each strategy. DOT leaders are encouraged to implement the strategies within the Guide by following the action plans as closely as possible when putting the strategies into practice within their organizations. Doing so will support attracting, retaining, and developing the transportation workforce in design, construction, and maintenance in a way that builds sustainable capacity for the industry. C H A P T E R   1 Introduction

2 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Proles for DOT Priority Jobs in Design, Construction, and Maintenance To understand which jobs within design, construction, and maintenance at DOTs should be considered the highest priority for addressing current and future workforce needs, the research team surveyed DOT employees across the country, spanning various occupational groups. Survey participants were asked to rate the extent to which various job titles, obtained via the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and veried by industry experts and internal industry advisers, are needed for continuity of operations and alignment with the DOTs’ mission and values. Participants also rank ordered the job types based on priority to the industry. is process resulted in the identication of ve priority jobs in each of the three main occupational groups: design, construction, and maintenance. To better understand the projected demand for high-priority jobs at DOTs as well as the needed skills and supply-demand associated with these priority jobs, a labor-market analysis was conducted. is involved publicly available employment data from sources such as DOL, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, and public job postings to obtain competitive market and critical information. Specically, researchers gathered projected changes in (a) annual wages, (b) the number of employees from 2018 to 2028, and (c) the annual number of job openings. e researchers also reviewed job posting data from Burning Glass, which is a tool that pro- vides information about job posting trends, to determine whether jobs are in high demand and the regional variation in postings. Using this data, job-specic proles for each priority job were created. ese job proles display regional trends, needed skills, average compensation, and employee projections. Exhibit 1-1 displays the jobs that were identied as priority jobs, by occupational area. e proles for each of the 15 priority jobs are provided on the following pages. e Standard Occupational Classication (SOC) number and its related title are provided for each job. e Current and Future job numbers are the same for Civil, Transportation, and Trac Engineers as well as those in Highway Maintenance because they are included in the same SOC. Within the maps showing top locations for positions, the darker the color, the greater the concentration of job postings. Skills that are in demand include the following abbreviations: CADD (computer- aided design and draing); AutoCAD (a CADD soware application); and IT (information technology). Occupational Area Jobs Design • Bridge and Structural Designer • Civil Engineer • Transportation Engineer • Transportation Planner • Traffic Engineer Construction • Civil Engineer • Construction Manager • Transportation Construction Inspector • Transportation Technician • Traffic Management Operator Maintenance • Highway Foreman • Highway Maintenance Technician • Civil Engineer • Snowplow Operator • Transportation Maintenance Specialist Exhibit 1-1. Priority jobs in state DOTs.

Introduction 3   2 4 % 2 8 % 52 % 64 % 9 6% Priority Job Title: Bridge & Structural Designer SO C 1 7-3 01 1 : Architectural and Civil Draf ter C urrent and F uture Job Num bers and Job Details Sk ills in G reatest Dem and (C urrent and Proj ected) Microstation CADD AutoCAD Bridge Design 3 D Modeling/Design Top 5 I n- Dem and Sk ill C lusters Sk ill cluster results are b ased on 2 5 j ob p ostings; the b ars rep resent the p ercentage of listings in w hich each sk ill cluster is f ound. E ngineering: Draf ting & E ngineering Design E ngineering: Civil & Architectural E ngineering I T: Microsof t O f f ice & Productivity Tools I T: Proj ect Managem ent Sof tw are Business: Proj ect Managem ent 1 01 ,2 00 1 03 ,000 1 00,000 1 00,500 1 01 ,000 1 01 ,500 1 02 ,000 1 02 ,500 1 03 ,000 1 03 ,500 # of E m p loy ees, 2 01 8 Proj ected # of E m p loy ees, 2 02 8 1 . 8 % I ncrease Average Salary: $56,700 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Associate's Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Bridge and Structural Designer:” • Structural Bridge Designer • Structural Technician/Data Person • Structural Designer, Bridge • Senior Structural Bridge Designer • Mid-Level Structural CADD Designer, Bridge Top U.S. Locations for Bridge & Structural Designer Job Postings (2019) Design Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

4 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 326,800 347,300 315,000 320,000 325,000 330,000 335,000 340,000 345,000 350,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 6.3% Increase 27% 34% 44% 63% 92% Priority Job Title: Civil Engineer SOC 17-2051: Civil Engineers Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Civil Engineering AutoCAD Civil 3D Project Management Professional Engineer Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 32,400 job postings; the bars represent the percentage 32,400 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Engineering: Civil & Architectural Engineering Engineering: Drafting & Engineering Design Business: Project Management Engineering: Engineering Software Finance: Budget Management Average Salary: $93,720 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Bachelor’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Civil Engineer:” • Civil Engineer • Structural Engineer • Civil Engineering Project Manager • Civil Project Engineer • Transportation Engineer Top U.S. Locations for Civil Engineer Job Postings (2019) Design Construction Maintenance Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

Introduction 5   326,800 347,300 315,000 320,000 325,000 330,000 335,000 340,000 345,000 350,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 6.3% Increase 41% 48% 49% 62% 78% Priority Job Title: Transportation Engineer SOC 17-2051: Civil Engineers C urrent and F uture Job Num bers and Job Details Sk ills in G reatest Dem and (C urrent and Proj ected) Civil Engineering Microstation Project Management AutoCAD Budgeting Top 5 I n- Dem and Sk ill C lusters Skill cluster results are based on 7,469 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Engineering: Civil & Architectural Engineering Engineering: Drafting & Engineering Design Business: Project Management Engineering: Engineering Software Engineering: Roads & Drainage Average Salary: $93,720 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Bachelor’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Transportation Engineer:” • Transportation Engineer • Civil Transportation Engineer • Civil Engineering Project Manager • Transportation Planner • Civil Engineer Top U.S. Locations for Transportation Engineer Job Postings (2019) Design Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

6 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 39,400 41,500 38,000 38,500 39,000 39,500 40,000 40,500 41,000 41,500 42,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 5.3% Increase 34% 35% 37% 38% 89% Priority Job Title: Transportation Planner SOC 19-3099.01: Transportation Planners Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Transportation Planning Project Management Civil Engineering Scheduling Land Use Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 1,817 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Supply Chain & Logistics: Transportation Operations Management IT: Microsoft Office & Productivity Tools Economics, Policy, & Social Studies: Urban Planning Business: Project Management Engineering: Civil & Architectural Average Salary: $85,750 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Bachelor’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Transportation Planner:” • Transportation Planner • Transportation Engineer • Environmental Planner • Transportation Coordinator • Transportation Analyst Top U.S. Locations for Transportation Planner Job Postings (2019) Design Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

Introduction 7   326,800 347,300 315,000 320,000 325,000 330,000 335,000 340,000 345,000 350,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 6.3% Increase 37% 42% 49% 56% 88% Priority Job Title: Traffic Engineer SOC 17-2051: Civil Engineers Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Traffic Engineering Civil Engineering Microstation Traffic Management Professional Engineer Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 3,432 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Engineering: Civil & Architectural Engineering Engineering: Drafting & Engineering Design Engineering: Roads & Drainage Engineering: Engineering Software Business: Project Management Average Salary: $93,720 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Bachelor’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Traffic Engineer:” • Traffic Engineer • Transportation Engineer • Software Development Engineer • Systems Engineer • Traffic Project Engineer Top U.S. Locations for Traffic Engineer Job Postings (2019) Design Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

8 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 36% 51% 55% 75% 77% Priority Job Title: C onstruction M anager SOC 11-9021: Construction Managers C urrent and F uture Job Num bers and Job Details Sk ills in G reatest Dem and (C urrent and Proj ected) Project Management Construction Management Budgeting Scheduling Q uality Assurance & Control Top 5 I n- Dem and Sk ill C lusters Skill cluster results are based on 54,003 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Business: Project Management Architecture & Construction: Construction Management F inance: Budget Management Administration: Scheduling IT: Microsoft Office & Productivity Tools 471,800 518,000 440,000 450,000 460,000 470,000 480,000 490,000 500,000 510,000 520,000 530,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 9.8% Increase Average Salary: $103,110 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Bachelor’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “C onstruction M anager:” • Construction Manager • Construction Superintendent • Construction Estimator • Civil Project Engineer • Construction Engineer Top U.S. Locations for C onstruction M anager Job Postings (2019) Construction Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

Introduction 9   117,300 125,000 112,000 114,000 116,000 118,000 120,000 122,000 124,000 126,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 20% 22% 27% 29% 92% Priority Job Title: Transportation Construction Inspector SOC 47-4011: Construction and Building Inspectors Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Construction Inspection Bridge Construction Highway Construction Civil Engineering Materials Testing Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 342 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Architecture & Construction: Construction Inspection Architecture & Construction: Road & Bridge Construction Engineering: Civil & Architectural Engineering Business: Contract Management Engineering: Roads & Drainage Average Salary: $63,150 Typical Education Needed for Entry: High school diploma or equivalent Top 3* Job Title Listings with “Transportation Construction Inspector:” • Construction Inspector • Transportation Supervisor • Transportation Engineer *Only three titles were listed. Top U.S. Locations for Transportation Construction Inspector Job Postings (2019) 6.6% Increase Construction Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

10 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 73,800 77,400 72,000 73,000 74,000 75,000 76,000 77,000 78,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 20% 22% 27% 29% 70% Priority Job Title: Transportation Technician SOC 17-3022: Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Repair Commercial Driving Backhoes Traffic Maintenance Equipment Operation Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 1,944 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Supply Chain & Logistics: Transportation Operations HR: Occupational Health & Safety Maintenance, Repair, & Installation: Heavy Equipment Engineering: Engineering Practices Maintenance, Repair, & Installation: Equipment Operation Average Salary: $54,670 Typical Education Needed for Entry: Associate’s Degree Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Transportation Technician:” • Transportation Technician • Operating Room Technician • General Transportation Technician • Engineering Technician • CDL Driver Top U.S. Locations for Transportation Technician Job Postings (2019) 5.0% Increase Construction Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

Introduction 11   7,500 8,000 7,200 7,300 7,400 7,500 7,600 7,700 7,800 7,900 8,000 8,100 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 6.2% Increase 27% 29% 33% 38% 38% Priority Job Title: Traffic Management Operator SOC 53-6041: Traffic Technician Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Traffic Management Surveillance Traffic Maintenance Data Entry Traffic Control Devices Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 112 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Public Safety & National Security: Surveillance Administration: General Administrative & Clerical Tasks IT: Technical Support IT: Microsoft Office & Productivity Tools Supply Chain & Logistics: Transportation Operations Average Salary: $50,700 Typical Education Needed for Entry: High school diploma or equivalent Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Traffic Management Operator:” • Traffic Management Operator • Dispatcher • Traffic Management Operator, Transportation Market • Regional Traffic Management Operator • Management Dispatch Operator Top U.S. Locations for Traffic Management Operator Job Postings (2019) Construction Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

12 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 33% 36% 42% 45% 71% Priority Job Title: Highway Foreman SOC 47-4051: Highway Maintenance Workers Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Repair Highway Maintenance Scheduling Highway Construction Bridge Construction Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 256 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Architecture & Construction: Road & Bridge Construction Engineering: Roads & Drainage Administration: Scheduling Manufacturing & Production: Machinery Human Resources: Occupational Health & Safety 155,300 162,700 150,000 152,000 154,000 156,000 158,000 160,000 162,000 164,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 4.8% Increase Average Salary: $41,440 Typical Education Needed for Entry: High school diploma or equivalent Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Highway Foreman:” • Highway Foreman • Construction Foreman • Foreman • Lighting Traffic Foreman • Maintenance Worker Top U.S. Locations for Highway Foreman Job Postings (2019) Maintenance Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

Introduction 13   155,300 162,700 150,000 152,000 154,000 156,000 158,000 160,000 162,000 164,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 4.8% Increase 37% 37% 41% 42% 99% Priority Job Title: H ighway M aintenance Technician SOC 47-4051: H ighway Maintenance W orkers C urrent and F uture Job Num bers and Job Details Sk ills in G reatest Dem and (C urrent and Proj ected) H ighway Maintenance Repair Debris and L itter Control Commercial Driving Power Tools Top 5 I n- Dem and Sk ill C lusters Skill cluster results are based on 405 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Engineering: Roads & Drainage Supply Chain & L ogistics: Transportation Operations Supply Chain & L ogistics: F acility Management & Maintenance Supply Chain & L ogistics: Eq uipment Repair & Maintenance Maintenance, Repair, & Installation: H eavy Eq uipment Average Salary: $41,440 Typical Education Needed for Entry: H igh school diploma or eq uivalent Top 5 Job Title Listings with “H ighway M aintenance Technician:” • Maintenance Technician • Maintenance W orker • H ighway/ Maintenance Technician • H ighway/ Maintenance Crew L eader/ Technician • F acilities Maintenance Technician Top U.S. Locations for H ighway M aintenance Technician Job Postings (2019) Maintenance Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

14 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance 155,300 162,700 150,000 152,000 154,000 156,000 158,000 160,000 162,000 164,000 Priority Job Title: Snowplow Operator SOC 47-4051: Highway Maintenance Workers Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Plows Snow Removal Equipment Operation Skid-Steer Loader Lawn Care Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 26 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Maintenance, Repair & Installation: Heavy Equipment Agriculture, Horticulture, & Outdoors: Landscaping & Yard Care Maintenance, Repair & Installation: Equipment Operation Manufacturing & Production: Machinery HR: Health & Safety Average Salary: $41,440 Typical Education Needed for Entry: High school diploma or equivalent Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Snowplow Operator”: • Operator • Equipment Operator • Lawn Care Team Member/Operator • Truck Operator • Operator/Laborer Top U.S. Locations for Snowplow Operator Job Postings (2019) 40% 31% 15% 8% 4% Maintenance Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area. 4.8% Increase # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028

Introduction 15   155,300 162,700 150,000 152,000 154,000 156,000 158,000 160,000 162,000 164,000 # of Employees, 2018 Projected # of Employees, 2028 4.8% Increase 21% 24% 28% 28% 34% Priority Job Title: Transportation Maintenance Specialist SOC 47-4051: Highway Maintenance Workers Current and Future Job Numbers and Job Details Skills in Greatest Demand (Current and Projected) Repair Performance Appraisals Performance Analysis Peoplesoft Internet Service Provider Top 5 In-Demand Skill Clusters Skill cluster results are based on 29 job postings; the bars represent the percentage of listings in which each skill cluster is found. Information Technology (IT): Microsoft Office & Productivity Tools IT: Telecommunications Business: Performance Management IT: Enterprise Resource Planning Finance: Budget Management Average Salary: $41,440 Typical Education Needed for Entry: High school diploma or equivalent Top 5 Job Title Listings with “Transportation Maintenance Specialist:” • Maintenance Specialist • Transportation Supervisor • Transportation Coordinator • Telecommunications Specialist • Maintenance Engineer Top U.S. Locations for Transportation Maintenance Specialist Job Postings (2019) Maintenance Note: Darker shading indicates a higher concentration of job postings in the indicated area.

16 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Identied Industry Challenges Aer understanding which jobs must take priority from a workforce capacity-building standpoint, it is valuable to identify the specic challenges faced by many state DOTs in growing and sustaining the skilled employees and leaders for these critical jobs. Aer engaging state DOT leaders and stakeholders from across the country, several themes emerged as common and concerning to attracting, retaining, and developing the future transportation workforce in design, maintenance, and construction. For example, DOTs from diverse geo- graphical backgrounds struggle with workforce planning and equipping their workforce to confront rapid industry changes such as new technologies, updated policies, and the increased use of multi-modal transportation. DOTs also reported challenges meeting the needs of employees due to the variations in individual dierences and work preferences, such as diering expectations between new and existing sta about how they should be treated in the workforce, how developmental opportunities are allocated, and how work is conducted. Additionally, DOTs from around the country discussed signicant skills gaps among current sta particularly related to challenges with recruiting and retaining entry- and mid-level sta and slow, bureaucratic hiring practices. Based on these overarching themes, 10 primary challenges were identied. A detailed description of each of these challenges is included in Exhibit 1-2. Future Scenarios That State DOTs May Face In addition to understanding the current workforce challenges faced across jobs in trans- portation design, maintenance, and construction, it is important to consider how the industry is evolving and what that evolution might mean for workforce needs in the next 5–10 years. Based on input gathered from industry experts and feedback from DOT leaders across the United States, seven scenarios emerged as likely situations that future state DOTs will need to be prepared to address. Exhibit 1-3 provides an overview of each of the seven plausible future scenarios. Along with the industry challenges, the future scenarios were used to identify and develop the strategies and action plans that comprise this Guide. Considering these potential future states is important so DOTs will be better prepared for the variety of situations that they may face and to ensure their workforce is equipped for those changes. Presentation of Workforce Capacity-Building Strategies To address the current and anticipated workforce capacity needs, the research team developed strategies, practical action steps, and tools to guide state DOTs to success as they seek to build more sustainable workforce capacity in the three occupational areas emphasized herein. Each action plan includes steps for implementing the strategy, a list of resources needed for imple- mentation, potential barriers that could be encountered during implementation, and metrics that may be used to measure the eectiveness of the strategy. Where possible, examples of how the strategies have already been implemented within DOTs across the United States have also been provided. e strategies in this Guide are presented in three main chapters: (2) Building a Qualied Workforce: Attracting Employees, (3) Sustaining a Strong Workforce: Retaining Employees, and (4) Developing a Talented Workforce: Training Employees. While implementing many of

Introduction 17   the strategies will likely help DOTs attract, retain, and develop a qualied workforce, strategies were grouped based on their main objective. e action plans included in each chapter are listed in Exhibit 1-4. A list of these action plans, the category they are in, and the industry challenges they address are provided in Exhibit 1-5. Following each action plan, one to three tools are provided that may be used by DOT leaders to implement the strategy (e.g., example survey items to measure diversity climate; mentorship program toolkit). DOT leaders may choose to use any number of these tools and modify them to meet their specic needs. Challenges Description Adoption of New Technologies The adoption of new technologies is changing job roles and necessary workforce knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). This is especially true for the domains of data science and statistical analysis. Economic Challenges The ever-changing and uncertain national economy affects the supply and demand of potential employees as well as how much competition DOTs face from other employers in recruiting these employees. Rise of Multi-Modal Transportation Multi-modal transportation is growing in popularity, and DOTs around the country are having to change the way they approach design, construction, and maintenance work in response. Resiliency Planning DOTs and the transportation industry as a whole are finding their work is affected by natural disasters and climate change. As DOTs move forward, they are required to build environmental considerations into the work they do. Blue-Collar Stigma Blue-collar work is wrongly stigmatized. DOTs are challenged with confronting this sentiment as well as debunking other misconceptions that affect their recruitment efforts. Slow Hiring Practices DOTs are burdened by slow hiring practices, which ultimately affect the way they attract and hire new employees. This puts DOTs at a disadvantage when compared to private employers. Popularity and Expectation of Flexible Workplace Policies Flexible workplace policies, such as the ability of employees to work remotely or make their own schedule, are becoming more common to the point where some people expect these things from their employers. Difficulty Recruiting and Retaining Mid- Level or Young Staff DOTs are struggling to recruit and retain young and mid-level staff in the areas of design, construction, and maintenance. With the gap in mid-level staff, organizations often have to promote unqualified staff to fill vacancies, creating a considerable knowledge gap. Further, DOTs are having trouble attracting young adults into the transportation industry and ensuring they stay engaged. Steady Downsizing of DOT Staff With changes in budgets and challenges attracting and retaining staff, many DOTs are experiencing decreases in their workforce. DOTs have embraced “doing more with less” and rely on their existing staff to complete tasks beyond their traditional role. To fill their staffing gaps, DOTs have also relied on contractor support. These trends have created KSA gaps, such as project management and communication. Generational Differences DOT leaders believe older generations and younger generations view transportation work differently and have different expectations about how to engage with one another. More seasoned workers may have interest in continuing work the way it has always been conducted. These differences in work style preferences seem especially noticeable when integrating new technologies into day-to- day operations. Workers also differ in how they prefer to receive training and/or participate in workforce development opportunities. Exhibit 1-2. Identied industry challenges.

18 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Scenario Description Changing Transportation Infrastructure The rise in popularity of alternative modes of transportation may cause state DOTs to consider how roadways will be designed, built, and maintained to accommodate these new modes. With expanding mobility service options, the use of transportation infrastructure will also change. As traditional automotive modes give way to tech- assisted modes, the transportation industry will be faced with decreased demand for typical design, construction, and maintenance operations. The challenge for the state DOT facing this future will be developing project management expertise in this complex environment and establishing structures that allow the organization to manage mobility service providers effectively. This must be accomplished in a manner that benefits local communities through expanded mobility options while ensuring that the transportation system is managed as a public good addressing a variety of user needs. New Smart Technologies Smart City applications are expanding regionally, allowing smart state DOTs greater opportunities to connect urban and rural areas through technology deployments, coordinated services, and statewide system management practices. These applications involve looking at how to use sophisticated, data-driven resources (e.g., automated equipment, drones) to work a little bit smarter or more remotely. However, skill gaps among current staff, budget constraints, slow hiring practices, and antiquated management ro s o D ’s o r - savvy workers. Attracting a Diversified Workforce and Increasing Labor Force Participation Rates Within the next 10 years, the U.S. economy may transition to a services-based, worker-supply-driven world, and even the transportation industry will be affected by this shift. However, a state DOT may find itself ill-equipped to provide the innovative services being pushed if it has historically narrowed its applicant pool and workforce unintentionally. As a country, there is increased attention on promoting equity in the workplace. For a DOT to be recognized as an “employer of choice,” it will be important that the DOT shows a renewed commitment to employment practices that support diversity and inclusion. With the growing need for new talent, the DOT must also recognize that expanding its applicant pool to nontraditional hires is business essential and will promote innovation by bringing unique perspectives together. To broaden the applicant pool and demonstrate an ethical and moral commitment to diversity and inclusion, a DOT must look closely at how it recruits, develops, and retains currently underrepresented workers. Competing for Specialized Skills A state DOT may be faced with the reality that employment within the organization will become more specialized due to new technological advances. For example, with new sensors on the road that generate big data, employees with the ability to analyze and utilize this data will be needed in the DOT. These new employees, who likely have backgrounds in data analysis or information technology (IT), will need to be woven into the decision-making process across DOT occupational areas (i.e., design, construction, maintenance) and the D ’s ss o r s or rs , particularly with fewer entrants into the trades disciplines, larger pools of workers will need to be created that will allow the state DOT greater access to potential employees. However, competing against other sectors or industries may make it difficult to recruit and hire qualified staff. Given increasingly complex infrastructure demands, a limited number of skilled workers, and difficulty competing against other sectors for new hires, the state DOT may need to start outsourcing more services. However, one problem with this approach is that when shifting work to consultants and contractors, employees may not retain the necessary knowledge to s o s or r o r ors’ or make proper inspection Exhibit 1-3. Overview of future scenarios.

Introduction 19   Resilience Planning Within a traditional state DOT, the implementation of a new resiliency plan may begin. Within this new plan, there will be changes to the way this DOT has traditionally planned for a rising sea level, flooding, and coastal storms, to ensure that infrastructure remains safe and reliable over time. However, one challenge associated with the implementation of this new resiliency plan is that a limited number of staff have the required skills (e.g., forecasting, modeling), to engage in discussions over designing, constructing, and maintaining the new standards, but these discussions have a very large impact on future operations. All occupational areas within this DOT will likely be affected by these policy changes. Engineers within the design occupation area will need to consider new policies when designing new infrastructure and planning for existing infrastructure. The decisions made by engineers will trickle down to employees in construction and maintenance. Thus, implementation of the resiliency plan requires that the DOT, with offices at both the headquarters and district level, coordinate the efforts of its construction, maintenance, and design units to implement the new plan. Implementing this plan will likely require design staff to clearly communicate and use tools such as databases to document their rationale for certain design decisions to ensure that all DOT occupational areas (i.e., construction, maintenance, and design) have a shared understanding of project decisions. Supply Chain Partnerships Consider a state DOT applying for a U.S. DOT BUILD Grant totaling $25 million to pilot a smart Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) corridor for freight traffic. Smart-truck routing, a strong avenue to invest the grant into, uses real-time road data to optimize freight movement within a multi-modal context. The state, which serves as a major freight gateway for maritime, truck, rail, and cross-border freight traffic, will manage the network to ensure optimal routing. The state also has a large distribution, warehouse, and fulfillment network that supports markets across the country as well as local last-mile demand. Developing the ITS freight corridor will require the DOT to develop strong working partnerships with public- and private-sector supply chain partners as well as with leaders in the development and deployment of smart-freight routing. The DOT will also need to introduce new data analytic and security methods and assess the efficiency of the systems while also ensuring their safety. s o s or r o r ors’ or Changing Nature of Work with a Multi- Generational Workforce A state DOT may find the integration of multiple generations of workers is not as seamless as once anticipated. Younger generations entering the public sector workforce are proposing improvements to current processes that question the status quo. Seasoned workers are sometimes frustrated by the lack of institutional knowledge held by these new entrants, and established employees often feel they are being treated as if they are dispensable. For the first time in the modern age, five generations are present at work—traditionalists, baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. Generational preferences may sometimes compete with one another. Traditional management practices such as requiring employees to work in person as opposed to remotely, adhering to an inflexible weekly work schedule, and limiting the amount of individual autonomy are causing difficulty in recruiting new talent, especially when competitors are moving toward these new approaches. Scenario Description Exhibit 1-3. (Continued).

20 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Chapter Action Plans Chapter 2: Building a Qualified Workforce: Attracting Employees • Partner with Educational Institutions to Market Jobs • Develop a Brand to Attract New Applicants • Use a Focused Social Media Presence to Engage Applicants • Adopt Equitable Recruitment Practices to Hire Underrepresented Individuals • Assess Workforce Policies to Ensure Support for Diversity and Inclusion • Create and/or Revise Job Descriptions to Accurately Market Jobs Chapter 3: Sustaining a Strong Workforce: Retaining Employees • Develop Performance Management Strategies with Industry Partners to Communicate Expectations • Construct Effective Teams to Maximize Staff Productivity • Enable Employees to Share Ideas to Foster Workplace Innovation • Integrate Critical Skills into Career Paths to Demonstrate Career Advancement Opportunities • Establish Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management to Ensure Efficient and Secure Access • Create Flexible Work Arrangements to Accommodate Employee Needs • Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training to Ensure a Healthy Work Environment Chapter 4: Developing a Talented Workforce: Training Employees • Create Communities of Practice with Local Institutions to Encourage Knowledge Sharing • Develop Robust Training Programs to Bridge Workforce Skill Gaps • Upskill Existing Employees to Prepare Them for New Roles • Partner with Mobility Service Providers to Increase Coordination • Implement Internal Knowledge-Sharing Forums to Improve Knowledge Transfer • Conduct Cross-Functional Action Learning Projects to Facilitate Internal Collaboration • Create an Information Repository to Foster Resiliency Planning Communication Across DOTs • Provide Leadership Development Opportunities to Build a Leader Pipeline • Establish a Reciprocal Mentoring Program to Encourage Internal Knowledge Transfer Exhibit 1-4. Action plans within each chapter. Action Plans Industry Challenges A do pt io n of ne w te ch no lo gi es Ec on om ic ch al le ng es R is e of m ul ti- m od al tr an sp or ta tio n R es ili en cy p la nn in g B lu e- co lla rs tig m a Sl ow h iri ng pr ac tic es Po pu la rit y an d ex pe ct at io n of fle xi bl e w or kp la ce po lic ie s D iff ic ul ty re cr ui tin g an d re ta in in g m id - le ve l o r y ou ng s ta ff St ea dy d ow ns iz in g of D O T st af f G en er at io na l di ffe re nc es Building a Qualified Workforce: Attracting Employees Partner with Educational Institutions to Market Jobs Develop a Brand to Attract New Applicants Use a Focused Social Media Presence to Engage Applicants Adopt Equitable Recruitment Practices to Hire Underrepresented Individuals Assess Workforce Policies to Ensure Support for Diversity and Inclusion Create and/or Revise Job Descriptions to Accurately Market Jobs Exhibit 1-5. Matrix of industry challenges and related action plans.

Introduction 21   Developing a Talented Workforce: Training Employees Create Communities of Practice with Local Institutions to Encourage Knowledge Sharing Develop Robust Training Programs to Bridge Workforce Skill Gaps Upskill Existing Employees to Prepare Them for New Roles Partner with Mobility Service Providers to Increase Coordination Implement Internal Knowledge-Sharing Forums to Improve Knowledge Transfer Conduct Cross-Functional Action Learning Projects to Facilitate Internal Collaboration Create an Information Repository to Foster Resiliency Planning Communication Across DOTs Provide Leadership Development Opportunities to Build a Leader Pipeline Establish a Reciprocal Mentoring Program to Encourage Internal Knowledge Transfer Action Plans Industry Challenges A do pt io n of ne w te ch no lo gi es Ec on om ic ch al le ng es R is e of m ul ti- m od al tr an sp or ta tio n R es ili en cy p la nn in g B lu e- co lla rs tig m a Sl ow h iri ng pr ac tic es Po pu la rit y an d ex pe ct at io n of fle xi bl e w or kp la ce po lic ie s D iff ic ul ty re cr ui tin g an d re ta in in g m id - le ve l o r y ou ng s ta ff St ea dy d ow ns iz in g of D O T st af f G en er at io na l di ffe re nc es Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training to Ensure a Healthy Work Environment Sustaining a Strong Workforce: Retaining Employees Develop Performance Management Strategies with Industry Partners to Communicate Expectations Construct Effective Teams to Maximize Staff Productivity Enable Employees to Share Ideas to Foster Workplace Innovation Integrate Critical Skills into Career Paths to Demonstrate Career Advancement Opportunities Establish Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management to Ensure Efficient and Secure Access Create Flexible Work Arrangements to Accommodate Employee Needs Exhibit 1-5. (Continued).

22 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Workforce 2030 Roadmap A Workforce 2030 Roadmap is also included in this Guide, e Roadmap is designed to showcase the intersections of the human capital initiatives for building a qualied design, construction, and maintenance workforce. It highlights the challenges that have been identied by transportation organizations and their recommended solutions (i.e., strategies). rough the Roadmap, DOTs are provided with the resources they need to implement the strategies locally, regardless of their size or circumstances in the future. e purpose of the Workforce 2030 Roadmap (Exhibit 1-6) is to help clarify how to best navigate the strategies and action plans within the Guide and identify critical areas to heed caution as well as milestones that indicate when progress is being made in the implementation of project recommendations. is includes visual ags that point to where strategies might intersect or could be used in conjunction with one another to solve more complex workforce challenges as well as additional information for consideration when implementing these strate- gies. e following icons are included in the Roadmap to help guide the use of strategies: This icon is used for strategies that could intersect or be used in conjunction with one another to create changes that would benefit the DOT and/or industry. • Building a qualified workforce and attracting employees, developing a brand to attract new applicants, and using a focused social media presence to engage applicants are three strategies that can be used in conjunction with one another to achieve recruiting goals. • Developing a talented workforce and training employees, providing leadership development opportunities, and establishing a reciprocal mentoring program are strategies that intersect to achieve development goals. • Constructing effective teams and enabling employees to share ideas both foster work innovation and maximize productivity to retain viable talent. This icon is used to identify instances where DOTs could take more than one course of action to achieve the desired outcome. • Conducting cross-functional action learning teams and implementing knowledge-sharing forums are just two strategies that a DOT can implement to achieve a similar outcome for training and developing employees to develop a talented workforce. • Developing robust training programs and upskilling existing employees to prepare for new roles can be implemented to achieve the same desired outcome. This icon is used to specify where in the process of implementation of certain strategies the DOT must forge ahead due to the consequences of starting but not completing the action steps outline. • A DOT’s sudden halt of efforts to adopt equitable recruitment practices to hire underrepresented individuals and partner with educational institutions might create issues with the company culture and the overall brand of the DOT. Not completing an important task like adopting equitable recruitment practices to hire underrepresented individuals can brand the DOT as an employer that does not promote diversity or inclusion. • Another strategy that DOTs should forge ahead with and complete is developing performance management strategies with industry partners and establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data management. If DOTs halt partnerships with external organizations, future partnerships can be negatively affected. This icon is used to call attention to where implementation of a strategy or practice could have unintended residual effects (both positive and negative) that are important to consider in advance of implementation. • A strategy that uses this frame of reference includes integrating critical skills into career paths. • Assessing workforce policies to ensure support for diversity and inclusion is another strategy that could have unintended residual effects. If current workforce policies are not aligned with diversity and inclusion goals, DOTs may need to take additional steps to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives. • Creating a resiliency planning information repository will help ensure accessibility of important information. By developing this repository, DOTs will be better prepared for future climate-related incidents.

Introduction 23   WORKFORCE 2030 SUSTAINING A STRONG WORKFORCE: RETAINING EMPLOYEES Develop Performance Management Strategies with Industry Partners Enable Employees to Share Ideas Integrate Critical Skills into Career Paths Establish Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management Create Flexible Work Arrangements for Employees Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training DEVELOPING A TALENTED WORKFORCE: TRAINING EMPLOYEES Create Communities of Practice with Local Institutions Develop Robust Training Programs Upskill Existing Employees to Prepare for New Roles Partner with Mobility Service Providers Implement Knowledge-Sharing Forums Conduct Cross-Functional Action Learning Projects Create an Information Repository to Foster Resiliency Planning Communication Provide Leadership Development Opportunities Establish a Reciprocal Mentoring Program BUILDING A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE: ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES Partner with Educational Institutions to Market Jobs Develop Brand to Attract New Applicants Use a Focused Social Media Presence to Engage Applicants Adopt Equitable Recruitment Practices to Hire Unrepresented Individuals Assess Workforce Policies to Ensure Support for Diversity and Inclusion Create and/or Revise Job Descriptions Exhibit 1-6. Workforce 2030 Roadmap.

24 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance How to Use This Guide e purpose of this Guide is to provide tested and feasible techniques for DOT leaders and managers to better attract, retain, and develop employees working in design, construction, and maintenance occupations. e action plans listed in this Guide were developed considering the diverse nature of transportation agencies and are therefore applicable to agencies of varying sizes and locations. e action plans are designed to be easily implemented with steps to take and tools for each strategy. e Guide is organized by three workforce challenges: attracting, retaining, and develop- ing employees. Exhibit 1-7 provides an overview of the three workforce challenges. Just like gears rotating, the processes of attracting, retaining, and developing employees all build o one another, and the relationship between these areas are crucial to consider as DOTs prepare for 2030. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 address these three key topics and provide descriptions of the workforce challenges, tables with an overview of the applicable action plans, and the action plans themselves. Chapter 5 describes what state DOTs could do to gain support and community relationships. e Guide concludes with Chapter 6, which focuses on change management and implementation of new strategies within DOTs. While DOT leaders and managers may use this Guide to nd an action plan that addresses a specic challenge they face, users of the Guide are encouraged to mix and match action plans to best t their challenges and agency context. Given the intersection of attracting, retaining, and developing design, construction, and maintenance employees, many action plans Exhibit 1-7. Overview of the three workforce challenges: attracting, retaining, and developing employees.

Introduction 25   will seamlessly overlap and complement each other to achieve multiple goals. For example, an action plan in the section about retaining employees may also be relevant for developing employees. Each action plan includes a description of a strategy, the challenges it addresses, which future scenarios are relevant, and detailed guidance for implementation. Exhibit 1-8 provides an example action plan with callout boxes describing each section. Action Plan Decision Tree To help determine the strategies that might be the most benecial for a state DOT to select for implementation, the decision tree in Exhibit 1-9 includes questions to consider to direct attention toward the strategies that may be most needed for the individual DOT’s situation and needs. Exhibit 1-8. Sample action plan format. (continued on next page)

26 Attracting, Retaining, and Developing the 2030 Transportation Workforce: Design, Construction, and Maintenance Exhibit 1-8. (Continued).

Introduction 27   Exhibit 1-8. (Continued).

AMONG THE FOLLOWING THREE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE MOST PRESSING FOR YOUR DOT? ATTRACTING VIABLE TALENT Is your organization experiencing slow hiring hire new employees? Develop Brand to Attract New Employees Use a Focused Social Media Presence Is your DOT experiencing the steady downsizing Does your organization want to establish Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies and procedures to attract new talent? Adopt Equitable Recruitment Practices Assess Workforce Policies to Ensure Support for Diversity and Inclusion YES NO NO YES Partner with Educational Institutions to Market Jobs Is there a need to update job descriptions to accurately market jobs? YES NO TRAINING AND DEVELOPING DOT EMPLOYEES Is there a need to adopt new technologies to adapt to changing roles? Upskill Existing Employees for New Roles Is there a need to train current and future DOT employees to adapt to new technologies? Is your organization concerned about responding to the rise of multi-modal transportation? Partner with Mobility Service Providers YES NO NO YES Develop Robust Training programs by natural disasters and climate change? YES NO RETAINING CURRENT AND FUTURE DOT EMPLOYEES Is your organization struggling to recruit and retain employees due to blue-collar stigma? Integrate Critical Skills into Career Paths Is there a need for employees to share knowledge and ideas? Does your organization want workplace policies? Create Flexible Work Arrangements for Employees YES NO NO YES Teams Enable Employees to Share Ideas Is there a need to implement Diversity & Inclusion training? YES NO Exhibit 1-9. Action plan decision tree.

Return to the top to select another workforce challenge. Create and/or Revise Job Descriptions to Accurately Market Jobs NO YES Implement Knowledge- Sharing Forums Conduct Cross-Functional Action Learning Projects Create Communities of Practice with Local Institutions Establish a Reciprocal Mentorship Program Is there a need for knowledge sharing to retain critical skills and information? Are there generational or tenure-related the work dynamic? Do DOT employees desire more opportunities to develop in their careers? Return to the top to select another workforce challenge. Create an Information Repository to Foster Resiliency Planning Provide Leadership Development Opportunities YES YES NO NO NO NO YES YES Develop Performance Management Strategies with Industry Partners Is there a need to partner with industry to develop performance management strategies? Return to the top to select another workforce challenge. Is there a need for a data management plan? Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training Establish Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management YES NO NO NO YES YES