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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 5 - Retention and Career Development." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26878.
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39   Retention and Career Development Career development of transportation construction inspectors encompasses STA retention and development opportunities. Retention is the process of maintaining an adequate and high-performing workforce to meet the commitments of the STA. Development is the pro- cess of advancing individuals through a career progression that benefits both the individual and the agency. Retention and development entail job-specific training and opportunities for construction inspectors to gain and sustain the KSAs needed to excel in their current positions through subsequent promotions. This chapter describes strategies for STAs to con- sider in improving the retention and development of qualified and certified transportation construction inspectors. Retaining and developing in-house inspectors is more efficient and less costly to STAs than continuously hiring and training new inspectors. Long-term, full-time construction inspectors gain considerable skill and the necessary institutional knowledge to inspect transportation construction projects successfully. Losing construction inspectors with immense knowledge can be difficult for STAs to overcome. Therefore, STAs need to retain and develop inspectors to mitigate the cost and risk associated with high turnover rates. Figure 5.1 outlines the content of this chapter regarding the retention and career development of in-house transportation construction inspectors. 5.1 Retention People have more employment and professional growth choices in today’s global economy. Competition is tight, and the pool of qualified candidates is limited. Therefore, STAs need to develop retention strategies and incentives for their inspection workforce. Increasing retention improves the performance and success of the STA. Retaining current high-performing employees long term reduces turnover, maintains inspection knowledge within the STA, reduces hiring and training costs and time, and increases consistency in construction inspections. Construction inspectors employed by the STA gain field experience from specific assignments. Continuing education is important for inspectors to hone and develop skills. Recertification is a requirement for construction inspectors, and STAs can provide additional or refresher training before inspectors take a recertification exam. All these retention aspects depend on the pro- fessional development of current inspectors at STAs. A construction inspector who success- fully performs field assignments, attends continuing education programs, passes recertification exams, and participates in professional development is an employee who will receive rewarding project assignments and be promoted to higher inspection position levels. STAs can consider factors and incentives for retaining construction inspectors collected from STA and FHWA literature and a survey of 46 STAs and described in Table 5.1. C H A P T E R 5

40 Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors From Chapter 4: Training and Certification Return To Chapter 3: Core Competencies and KSA Assessment Retention Factor/Incentive STA Action Aligned expectations Clearly communicate expectations of daily responsibilities Annual reviews Document inspector performance so that inspectors know how to gain a promotion Bonuses Offer bonuses, for example, annually, after projects, or for outstanding safetyrecords Career paths Provide clear career paths for inspection position advancement Cross-training Train inspectors in a variety of specialties (structures, materials, drainage, etc.) to keep them working and knowledgeable about all areas of construction inspection Education support Provide education or tuition assistance and flexible working hours for inspectors who want to pursue college degrees Mentoring program Pair a new hire with an experienced inspector who can train the new hire, help them learn their responsibilities, provide support, and answer questions Paid time off Offer paid vacation, leave, and sick time Pay/salary raises Increase pay or salary based on performance and promotions Professional development Provide inspectors with career development opportunities to encourage learning and increase their KSAs Promotions Advance well-performing inspectors to a position with more complex assignments, responsibilities, and pay Recognition of work Formally acknowledge an inspector’s high performance Reimbursement for certification exams Cover the cost of certification exams Relocation assistance Offer assistance to employees asked to relocate Rotational programs Offer employees rotations through projects, departments within the STA, and roles using a set time period for each rotation to expose employees to various STA business operations and inspection practices Scholarships Develop scholarship programs for students from local colleges and universities that include requirements to work for the STA for a specific amount of time after graduation Compassion Show inspectors that they matter to the STA as an individual, not just as part of the workforce Work-life balance Allow inspectors to work various shifts that better match their lifestyles Figure 5.1. Career development process for construction inspectors. Table 5.1. Factors that help STAs retain construction inspectors.

Retention and Career Development 41 STAs have higher turnover with entry-level construction inspection positions, typically because of low wages and a lack of clear career paths for advancement. Once entry-level inspectors are trained and obtain certifications, they tend to leave for better-paying positions elsewhere. To offset salary differentials, STAs can consider offering benefits and promotion opportunities tied to pay raises to encourage construction inspectors to work their way up the STA inspector career ladder. STAs could offer benefits (e.g., health, retirement, paid time off) to entry-level and other levels of construction inspection positions that are quantifiable with salary. Some STAs use rotation programs to expose employees to various aspects of the STA and inspection processes. Rotation of inspectors could entail an individual working as a materials tester in a lab, then as a materials tester in the field, then as an inspector of work in the field, and then in the home office. Exposing inspectors to STA operations helps them understand the importance of their work, gain training, and find their areas of interest. Also, rotation programs can help STAs create more bench strength in some positions that only have one or two SMEs. 5.2 Continuing Education Opportunities The career development of construction inspectors relies on their ability to gain new skills while also improving on existing skills. Continuing education provides opportunities for construction inspectors to learn and grow within the transportation construction profession. From the agency perspective, continuing education ensures that the human capital within the STA gains exposure to new industry trends and better positions the STA to respond to future change. For the construction inspector, continuing education provides the opportunity for personal advancement and keeps individuals mentally engaged and refreshed. Columbus State Community College: Construction Inspection Workforce Program (CIWP) Collaborative Effort • Columbus State • Ohio DOT • American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio Goal • Create a workforce of job-ready entry-level consultant inspectors who repre- sent the next generation of highway and bridge inspectors Education • 36 credit hours of applied civil engineering, construction management, and survey courses Experience • Formal 12-month internship with an Ohio DOT–approved consultant firm Certification • NICET Levels I and II Highway Inspector • ACI Level I • Ohio Asphalt • Ohio Aggregate • Work Zone Safety

42 Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors Examples of informal continuing education are • Informal peer-to-peer exchanges on new methods, technologies, and other tools, • New job duties or project assignments that expand an individual inspector’s skills, • Cross-training in various areas of transportation construction, • Self-paced learning opportunities, and • Trade publications. Examples of formal continuing education are • Continuing education requirements for certification, such as training for required inspection certifications (e.g., grade-and-drain, materials) and for professional licenses; • Formal peer-to-peer exchanges organized by regional and national groups, such as the AASHTO Peer Exchange Program; • Opportunities for inspectors to gain college degrees; • Advanced certification courses in technical and managerial skills; and • Workshops and networking at regional and national organizations. As discussed in Chapter 4, STAs could partner with technical schools, community colleges, and universities to establish training and continuing education programs. Networking with higher education institutions allows STAs to collaborate with experts in transportation construction education and develop accredited and structured programs for construction inspectors to attend. 5.3 Cross-Training A common practice for STAs is to train their construction inspectors for a variety of work and projects rather than in a few specialized areas (e.g., structures, grade-and-drain, pavements). With the current shortage of inspectors, STAs need staff able to cover a range of operations. In addition, cross-training exposes inspectors to various projects and inspection processes, which allows them to find their niche. STAs may allow inspectors to become experts in specific areas but with the understanding that they will be needed to inspect any transportation construction work. STAs can train inspectors to be flexible, as specialty inspectors cannot sit idle if niche expertise is not often needed. Training across multiple inspection areas helps STAs be more efficient in their practices and avoid situations in which construction inspectors find themselves inspecting work for which they have little training or background. Frustration occurs because the inspection staff is unpre- pared for the responsibilities, potentially leading to turnover. To reduce the potential for frustra- tion, STAs need to develop training programs for all inspectors to become proficient in many areas of construction inspection and have less-experienced inspectors learn new construction inspections with OJT. For STAs to retain adequate inspection staff successfully and consistently, they need to ensure inspectors are equipped with the necessary technical skills for a variety of work. A well- defined cross-training program ensures quality inspection and demonstrates that inspectors are valued within the agency and considered worthy of the investment. STAs need to cross-train all inspectors, both in-house and third-party consultants. Developing and delivering training can be challenging because of turnover and staff shortages, but it is well worth the time and effort. 5.4 Knowledge Management STAs are well-intentioned in knowledge management, including the transfer of knowledge from experienced inspectors to entry- and intermediate-level inspectors. New processes, tech- niques, and materials are constantly being introduced, and existing ones are being updated. We train our inspectors to be jacks of all trades, but we make sure each one of them has their own specialty inspection area. Some are specialized in structures, some are specialized in dirt work, while they will still be able to do other inspections such as concrete. You get them trained for everything in case you need somebody for any situation. —STA resident engineer

Retention and Career Development 43 STAs document and disseminate this information through documents and manuals. To do this well, STAs need a champion who understands the importance of knowledge management. However, comprehensive and effective knowledge management resources are typically limited in the current environment, in which basic tasks such as construction inspections must be accomplished with few resources. Therefore, STAs need to develop knowledge management practices that can glean information from experienced construction inspectors and third-party consultants. As attrition and retirements slowly erode institutional knowledge at an STA, the primary way to inform the new workforce will be through a current, easy-to-use knowledge manage- ment system. The first step to establishing a knowledge management system is assessing the STA’s current system and its ability to maintain it. The reader is encouraged to review NCHRP Report 813: A Guide to Agency-Wide Knowledge Management for State Departments of Transpor- tation (Spy Pond Partners 2015) to review agency knowledge management practices compre- hensively. Table 5.2 provides example considerations for a knowledge management system for construction inspections. Various methods can be used to convey construction knowledge to in-house and consultant inspectors, such as mentoring, internships, staff meetings, “lessons learned” discussions, and experienced personnel sharing information with less-experienced inspectors. However, the accessibility of construction inspectors is considered the most important. The typical resources used to convey construction inspection knowledge are listed in Table 5.3. STA Action Evaluate the state of current knowledge system Determine whether the system works and only needs succession plans to maintain inspection knowledge or if it is outdated and impractical. Availability of resources Assess the resources and abilities of the STA; a champion can provide direction to either internal or external staff while overseeing knowledge management operations. Availability of tools Determine the tools (i.e., software programs) needed to convey knowledge, and consider the hardware (e.g., tablets, phones, computers) inspectors use and their preference for hard copy versus electronic documents. Use of SMEs Draw upon the knowledge of expert and advanced-level inspectors before they retire or leave. This exercise may also provide a reason for those inspectors to extend their careers. Knowledge Management Consideration Description Specifications and standards Usually only for reference because of their length. Important for inspectors to know how to use them when needed. Construction manuals Expound on specifications and standards to provide guidance and techniques for construction inspections. Knowledge books Short and easy-to-read documents that can be designed for online availability. Memorandums Communicate time-sensitive information. Can be maintained in a database to ensure accessibility. Mentoring Informal or structured programs that often draw mentors from within the STA to ensure involvement. Nonagency and third-party consultant mentors can be also recruited. Staff meetings Provide opportunities to gain feedback on construction inspection topics. Offer opportunity to consult with district/regional leadership. Statewide conferences can gather together in-house inspectors. Knowledge Resource Table 5.2. Considerations for a knowledge management system for construction inspection. Table 5.3. Resources for STAs to convey inspection knowledge.

44 Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors 5.5 Internships Internships are an essential component of employee recruitment, retention, and training, and play an important role in education. Internships are short-term employment geared toward students currently enrolled in a transportation- or construction-related field (e.g., engineering, construction management, construction technology) to impart practical on-the-job experience. Internship programs allow STAs to attract younger individuals, such as current college and high school students, and expose them to the transportation construction industry. However, intern- ships are currently underused by STAs for construction inspection positions. As the workforce ages, STAs need to consider methods that attract and retain younger individuals into construc- tion inspection positions so that they can grow and advance into a transportation construction inspector career. Many individuals have entered the construction industry because of a family or friend con- nection. Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021) show that fewer individuals work within the construction industry as a percentage of the population than in the past. This means that more individuals today have no construction experience. Considering the limited experience of younger workers, STAs could develop internship programs to recruit full-time construction inspection hires. Construction inspector internships allow STAs to expose students to their organization, train them to quickly enter the workforce upon completing formal training, and serve as an extended job interview that can help ensure the STA hires and develops the right individuals. Many stu- dents intern at the same STA throughout their educational studies, so these programs pro- vide the opportunity to retain young talent. Scholarships linked with internships and full-time employment, such as those offered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, can also improve workforce development efforts. Once a student works as an intern, the student and the STA are familiar with each other. If the student is successful at performing assigned duties during the internship, STAs may recognize their talents and offer them a full-time position. Interns can also help grow the general construction industry inspection workforce as long as they gain employ- ment in full-time positions with the STA, or external third-party consultants or contractors that work for the STA. 5.6 Mentoring STAs could consider mentoring when developing construction inspectors, especially for entry-level inspectors who possess minimal technical competencies and experience. As attrition reduces the number of experienced construction inspection staff, it is increasingly essential to mentor new hires promptly and effectively. STAs can consult with mentors outside the organi- zation if their experience would be a benefit. In addition, STAs need to train potential mentors to train their protégés. Lack of training for the mentor may lead to a less-than-effective mentorship. Additional information on mentoring for STAs is included in the Guide for e-Construction and Partnering: Training the 21st Century e-Construction Workforce (FHWA 2019). Mentoring can be either informal or formal, and the characteristics of each type are shown in Table 5.4. Informal mentoring occurs without prompting or organization, and the mentor and protégé relationship develops independently. This implies a compatible relationship between mentor and protégé and will often lead to long-term positive results. However, informal mentor- ing may not set goals, or the goals may not align with the agency’s goals, and typically has no set timeline other than the length of a construction project. Formal mentoring is an intentional effort that includes pairing new and inexperienced construction inspectors with experienced and knowledgeable project team members, such as [Inspectors] come and work a couple of seasons with us. And then that just gets them acclimatized to us and creates a sense of almost loyalty, both directions. And so, when they do graduate, they often see us as an employer they want to go to, and they see the range of opportunities within our technical positions. That’s a kind of investment and it works, plus we need that seasonal physical labor and help. —STA HR manager

Retention and Career Development 45 inspectors, resident engineers, and project managers, to determine goals and establish a mentor- ing time frame. A structured meeting schedule helps foster learning by setting aside a time and a place devoted solely to mentoring. Setting a time frame for the program allows the mentor to know their commitment beforehand. The benefits of a formal mentoring program are two-fold: new hires benefit from the knowledge of more-experienced inspectors, and the more- experienced inspector will be satisfied knowing they are helping develop the future inspection workforce. Factors to consider in a formal mentoring program are described in Table 5.5. STAs need to consider mentoring an advanced-level inspector’s responsibility and provide training accord- ingly. Training the mentor improves the mentorship process for more effective instruction of the protégé. STAs can also consider using incentives to encourage experienced inspectors to be mentors. Characteristic Informal Mentoring Formal Mentoring Provides just-in-time and immediate learning   Provides long-term development and reinforcement of learning  Promotes self-driven learning   Offers fast and immediate networking  Allows anyone to participate  Allows participation from interested and qualified individuals  Requires minimal maintenance from the agency  Requires maintenance from the agency to match and pair individuals  Allows for change to a formal mentoring relationship  Offers training to ensure individuals understand their mentor–protégé relationship  Offers meetings in the field at construction sites   Offers meetings outside of the workplace  Table 5.4. Characteristics of informal and formal mentoring programs for inspectors. Factor Description Gauge willingness to participate STAs need to find construction inspectors with knowledge and experience who want to be mentors. It is also important to determine the inspectors who need mentoring and are willing to participate. Set goals Goals are established collaboratively at the beginning of the relationship. Goals are to include objectives to achieve and methods to measure the progress of the protégé. Strive for mutual benefits Each participant commits to the relationship (mutual interests and compatibility), establishes goals, and works together to achieve them. Be honest Each participant can speak freely and shares what they expect to gain from the relationship and the plan to accomplish the goals. Listen and learn Each participant’s viewpoint is heard and respected, which helps achieve mutual benefits and honesty. Mentors need to remember the relationship is not primarily about them. Build a partnership STAs need to actively structure a working relationship that works for the mentor and the protégé. Lead by example In performing inspection responsibilities, the mentor provides a lasting impression on how to handle construction projects. Be flexible Both the mentor and the protégé allow for goals and the relationship to develop throughout the process. Each participant may adjust goals and connections with stakeholders as necessary. Provide feedback Both the mentor and the protégé ask for and give feedback so that the learning experience is suitable, and the pace of the mentoring is acceptable. STAs may consider soliciting input from external resources. Mentor gives constructive feedback and protégé accepts and reflects on it. Table 5.5. Factors to consider for mentoring programs for construction inspectors.

46 Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors 5.7 Career Paths and Advancement STAs need to consider establishing and maintaining technical career paths that reward and support the development of construction inspectors with proficiency in various KSAs. When a construction inspector leaves employment, STAs suffer negative impacts such as lost investments in training, loss of experience, loss of critical skill sets, and costs corresponding to replacing employees. Hiring and retaining employees for the long term is imperative. They are instrumental in imparting the institutional knowledge needed to manage and operate respective STAs and address expanded agency missions over time. Therefore, STAs need to establish and sustain career paths and advancement opportunities for construction inspectors. The career development process is unique to every person. Factors such as ability, skills, experience, personality, geography, and personal needs play a role in developing one’s career path. Therefore, creating a system for construction inspector career paths and alternatives provides STAs with a strategy that leads to career maturity for construction inspectors. Recom- mendations for STAs to establish and strengthen a system for construction inspector career paths and alternatives, collected from a survey of 46 STAs and discussions with transportation construction professionals in focus groups, are provided in Table 5.6. Opportunities for advancement improve retention and maintain organizational knowledge. It is much less costly for organizations to retain high-performing employees than to recruit new ones. Clear paths for career advancement allow individuals to view their future as they progress through their careers via published career paths, mentorships, and routine (e.g., annual) dis- cussions surrounding career goals. The paths can also include titles, responsibilities, education requirements, experience requirements, and the associated pay raise or additional benefits of each position advancement. Best practices for designing construction inspection career paths include the following: • Provide clear progression within inspection position classifications (e.g., Construction Inspector I through Construction Inspector IX; see Figure 2.2 for an example). • Gain technical progression based on various project types and increasing complexity in assignments. We create a training, certification, and career path for every inspector that joins and provide career advancement opportunities in line with their goals and future growth plans, which has gone over well. —STA HR manager Recommendation STA Action Develop construction inspector series of positions Build partnerships Connect with the contracting industry Provide awareness of technological innovations Form co-ops with higher education Provide internal agency programs Help inspectors track their careers management Develop a series of technical/inspection positions. Many STAs employ detailed employment series for engineering positions, which can be used to develop technician series for inspection positions and career development. Build cross-system partnerships with local, state, and federal programs, colleges, inspector education and training initiatives. Partnering with community colleges and 4-year institutions allows experts to help provide the education and training necessary for promotions. Using local expertise and building relationships with Stay connected to the contracting industry and service providers to identify KSA needs and gaps, validate competencies, and customize training as needed. Build awareness of technological innovations to enable construction inspectors to develop new skills. Consider forming co-ops with higher education and other external training and certification organizations whereby STA staff provide training using the institution’s or organization’s resources and facilities. Form internal agency programs to grow construction inspectors through mentoring and shared learning. This program can also show other agency divisions and departments the value of inspectors. Encourage construction inspectors to take charge of their careers by tracking their work and experience and providing evidence (e.g., portfolio) to show that an inspector is worthy of promotion. universities, and construction organizations to develop successful construction higher education provides STAs with more resources to educate and train inspectors. Table 5.6. Recommendations for establishing and maintaining career paths for construction inspectors.

Retention and Career Development 47 • Provide opportunities for inspectors to work in other divisions of the STA to gain exposure and knowledge of business operations. • Provide a path for individuals to become SMEs. • Create a path for individuals who want to become a supervisor or a manager of inspection and construction work. • Provide opportunities to take on responsibilities beyond inspection duties, such as committee participation (e.g., knowledge management and technology development committees internal to the STA), developing guidance materials, and performing constructability reviews. • Provide acceleration opportunities for those construction inspectors who perform at a high level to quickly advance to another inspection position by achieving specific performance goals rather than years of experience. • Use exit surveys to determine areas that need improvement to reduce the number of inspectors leaving the STA. 5.8 Evaluation Metrics for Construction Inspector Career Development Programs STAs can implement metrics to evaluate the outcomes of construction inspector career development programs. Table 5.7 includes KPIs for STAs to consider in tracking and monitoring retention and development of construction inspectors. Metrics can be established and imple- mented with a strategic target to yield more information about the effectiveness of STA efforts. Key Performance Indicator Description Example Target a Annual turnover rate of full-time employees The number of full-time inspectors who leave the STA for employment elsewhere is compared with the total number of full-time inspectors. Less than 10% of inspectors leave the STA for other employment Annual turnover rate of seasonal employees the total number of seasonal inspectors. Annual retention rate of full-time employees The number of full-time inspectors who stay employed at the STA annually is compared with the total number of full-time inspectors. This KPI is an inverse measure of the annual turnover rate. More than 90% of full-time inspectors stay employed at the STA Annual retention rate of seasonal employees The number of seasonal inspectors employed at the STA from season to season is compared with the total number of seasonal inspectors. This is an inverse measure of the annual turnover rate. More than 85% of seasonal inspectors return to the STA each season Rate of inspectors promoted annually The number or percentage of the total number of inspectors who gained promotion in the past year. At least 20% of in-house inspectors are promoted annually Rate of interns retained for full-time positions The number of interns returning for full-time positions after graduation. At least two-thirds of inspection interns return for full-time inspection positions Rate of in-house inspectors trained annually The number or percentage of the total number of inspectors who attended training programs in the past year. At least two-thirds of construction inspectors attended training in the past year Rate of in-house inspectors recertified At least 80% of construction inspectors who required recertification have passed exams in the past year Level of job satisfaction A rating of job satisfaction using a five-point Likert scale of very satisfied (5) to not satisfied (1). STAs may compare annual results to understand whether satisfaction is improving. At least 80% of inspectors state they are satisfied with their job (rating of 4 or 5) Level of motivation A rating of motivation using a five-point Likert scale of very motivated (5) to not motivated (1). STAs may compare annual results to understand whether motivation is improving. At least 80% of inspectors state they are motivated to perform their job (rating of 4 or 5) aAdjust target based on the STA’s construction inspection operations. return from the previous season is compared with d Less than 15% of seasonal inspectors id not return from last season The number of seasonal inspectors who do not annually The number or a percentage of the total number of inspectors recertified in the past year. Table 5.7. Performance indicators for construction inspector career development programs.

48 Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors 5.9 Summary of Retention and Career Development Strategies STAs need approaches for keeping qualified and effective construction inspectors as long- term employees, which provides benefits and consistency to transportation construction proj- ects. The following strategies may need to be adapted to the STA based on its operations. • Factors that help STAs retain construction inspectors are aligned expectations, annual reviews, bonuses, career paths, cross-training, education support, mentoring programs, paid time off, pay/salary raises, professional development, promotions, recognition of work, reim- bursement for certification exams, relocation assistance, rotational programs, scholarships, compassion, and work-life balance (Table 5.1). • Informal continuing education opportunities include peer-to-peer exchanges on new methods, software, and other tools; new job duties or projects that expand inspectors’ skills; cross-training and self-paced learning options; and trade publications. • Formal continuing education opportunities include training for required certification or licenses; participating in professional organization activities (e.g., peer exchanges and work- shops); obtaining advanced college degrees; taking advanced certification courses in technical and managerial skills; networking through regional and national organizations for continu- ing education; and attending workshops. • STAs need to consider how to manage institutional knowledge for construction inspection when experienced inspectors leave the STA. Knowledge management specific to construction inspection needs to be part of the STA’s overall knowledge management process and protocol. • Internships for high school and college-level students demonstrate the potential of careers in transportation construction, specifically for inspection careers. • Informal or formal mentoring provides less-experienced and knowledgeable inspectors with access to resources and more-experienced inspectors so that a protégé can gain KSAs from the knowledge and experience of the mentoring inspector. • Clear career path progression can be established for construction inspection positions. If career paths already exist, STAs need to ensure that construction inspectors know about the paths and the associated requirements for promotion and advancement.

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Transportation construction inspectors (CIs) have specific expertise in areas such as earthwork, structures, and pavement. CIs apply this expertise to ensure that construction work meets or exceeds the construction contract requirements. State departments of transportation are facing attrition in the CI workforce and losses in institutional knowledge among CIs as a result of retirements, agency downsizing, and fewer individuals pursuing construction inspection. The number of candidate CIs is projected to be inadequate to meet current and future needs.

The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1027: Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors describes approaches that state DOTs can use to build and sustain a construction inspection workforce.

Supplemental to the report are NCHRP Web-Only Document 337: Training and Certification of Construction Inspectors for Transportation Infrastructure, an Implementation Memorandum, and a Dissemination Presentation.

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