Newsletter Vol. 5
February 2017
In This Issue
Hot Topic - Career Pathways Initiative
TOPCareer Pathways Initiative

The West Region Transportation Workforce Center (WRTWC) is one of five transportation workforce centers that make up the National Network for the Transportation Workforce (NNTW). The NNTW will lead a national career pathway demonstration program as a result of being awarded a $1.25 million Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grant titled the Transportation Workforce Strategic Initiative. Under the grant the five regional centers will launch pilot career pathway demonstration programs focused on transportation career pathways in five strategic disciplines: planning, environment, operations, engineering, and safety. The West Region Center will focus on career pathways in road and highway safety professions. The goal behind the career pathway demonstrations is to engage students in the post-secondary educational continuum to choose transportation career pathways. The demonstrations will leverage insights from employers to empower students to develop the skills needed to meet industry challenges. 

For updates on the Transportation Career Pathways Initiative, visit the NNTW website.

Regional Success Stories
South Dakota DOT Launches TRAC Educational Outreach Program  

The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) initiated the TRAC (Transportation and Civil Engineering) program as a mechanism to provide State Departments of Transportation across the United States with a standards-based educational outreach program designed to integrate hands-on transportation experience into middle and high school STEM classrooms. The program relies on partnerships between transportation professionals and teachers to bolster pre-college students' exposure to transportation careers and their interest in math and science by demonstrating "real world" applications.


The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT), concerned about the need to fill transportation positions as an increasing number of professionals reach retirement age, decided to launch a TRAC pilot program in the state in 2015. The pilot program was led by an oversight committee comprised of representatives from SDDOT, the Associated General Contractors, the Engineering Society, and Pierre Riggs High School. The pilot resulted in the implementation of three TRAC modules in physics and environmental science classes at the high school. Based on positive feedback from teachers, professionals, and students participating in the pilot program, the TRAC program will now be expanded to additional school districts in the coming school years.
  
Additional details about the program can be found here
Do you have a success story to share?  

Let your peers know what has worked for you. You can now enter details about your workforce development successes online and we will showcase them on our website.

Center Activities
New Look and Functionality for WRTWC.ORG

Our website has a new look and feel. We have made it easier for you to add information online about transportation education and professional development programs and success stories. You will also now find archives of past webinars as well as new transit-related resources. Take a look around and let us know what you think.
Dream Big! 


The American Society of Civil Engineers in partnership with MacGillivray Freeman Films, and presented by the Bechtel Corporation, is premiering the giant-screen production of Dream Big at select IMAX theaters nationwide in February. Dream Big highlights the ingenuity and innovation of engineers. The IMAX production shows how engineers are shaping the world of tomorrow. As part of the ASCE initiative, the film is available for community screenings at both IMAX and smaller screen theaters. ASCE has also compiled educational materials and activities to accompany the film.

The WRTWC is collaborating with Montana State University's Extended University and Department of Civil Engineering, the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative, the Bozeman Film Society's Science on Screen Program, the Montana Section of ASCE, and local engineering firms to bring Dream Big to Bozeman for two free, family-friendly community screenings on March 4 at the historic Ellen Theatre downtown. Engineering professionals and students will provide fun on-stage demonstrations prior to the show and interactive hands-on activities following the film.

To find out how you can bring Dream Big to your community, click here.

Upcoming Opportunities
The Midwest Transportation Workforce Center (MTWC) continues its 3-part webinar series, Accelerating Apprenticeship in the Transportation Sector.


Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Mountain
Organization: Midwest Transportation Workforce Center (MTWC)

Community and technical colleges are hearing about apprenticeship programs, but many questions still remain.These colleges are trying to decide whether to spend the resources, time, and energy to develop and offer Registered Apprenticeship programs. This webinar is a case study of Harper College's decision to offer Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs. The motivation and steps taken regarding this complex decision is shared. Lessons learned can be useful to facilitate your college's decision. This interactive presentation takes you through the process, answers your questions, and shares approaches that worked to get your first RA program up and running. The session concludes with a recap of the win-win-win scenario for the college, businesses, and students involved with Registered Apprenticeships.

Industry and Colleges: Partnerships for Successful Registered Apprenticeship Programs
Date: March 9, 2017
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Mountain

To learn more or to register, click here .
Small Town and Rural Multi-modal Networks Guide
Date: February 14, 2017
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Mountain 
Organization: National Center for Rural Road Safety

This Safety Center sponsored webinar will be presented by Alta Planning and will provide an overview of the Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks Guide, published in January 2017 by the Federal Highway Administration. At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to: describe the general uses and benefits of this new guidance, understand the three topic areas in which contextual guidance is provided, and identify the speed, volume, roadway types, and land use areas in which each treatment is best suited for application.

To learn more or to register, click here.
Extending Learning Beyond Your Transportation Department
Date: February 16, 2017
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Mountain 
Organization: Northeast Transportation Workforce Center (NETWC)

As a transportation organization you have to work with external suppliers, partners, and customers (your 'extended enterprise') on a regular basis. Studies show that the learning assets available between your internal organization and your extended enterprise are often not in alignment with each other, leading to missed opportunities, lack of visibility between parts of the extended enterprise, and declining overall organizational productivity. 

This webinar will share strategies on how to create alignment between the components of your internal and external organization. Implement these strategies to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of your operational environment to leverage your opportunities to the fullest extent, and gain a competitive-edge, while fulfilling your obligation to stakeholders through efficiency, quality service/products, and excellence in performance. 

To learn more or to register, click here.
2017 APTA Youth Summit Accepting Applications Until February 17, 2017

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is hosting high school junior and seniors in Washington, DC for an informative summit on how public transportation shapes communities and promotes a sustainable environment.  Students attending the 2017 APTA Youth Summit have the unique opportunity to explore the educational and environmental benefits of public transportation. They will learn how communities can prosper with increased services, study the role local and federal policies play in public transit usage, and discover educational and career opportunities directly from leading public transportation industry professionals and emerging leaders. Each student will be able to choose from a variety of career track sessions aimed at their specific field of interest. Tracks include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In addition, tracks for those interested in business administration, planning, marketing & communication, operations and maintenance are also available.

If you will be a high school junior or senior in the Fall of 2017, you are eligible to participate in the APTA Youth Summit taking place during June 19-23, 2017.

To apply, click  here.
Strategic Information Management for State Departments of Transportation
Date: February 27, 2017
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Mountain 
Organization: Transportation Research Board (TRB)

TRB will conduct a webinar on Monday, February 27, 2017 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM ET that features research from National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)  Report 829 : Leadership Guide for Strategic Information Management for State Departments of Transportation.

This webinar will describe a guidebook for executives and managers about effectively developing and maintaining an agency's capability to provide mission-critical information when and where it is needed. 

To learn more or to register, click here.
Lifesavers National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities
Date: March 26-28, 2017
Location: Charlotte, NC 
Organization: Lifesavers Conference, Inc.

The Lifesavers Conference brings together a unique combination of public health and safety professionals, researchers, advocates, practitioners and students committed to sharing best practices, research, and policy initiatives that are proven to work. You can't get the kind of information that is conveyed at this conference anywhere else at this value.

To learn more or to register, click here.
WASHTO 2017 Annual Meeting
Date: June 25-28, 2017
Location: Juneau, AK 
Organization: Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO)

WASHTO's 2017 Annual Meeting is centered on the theme "Extremely Cool Transportation." The meeting brings together State Department of Transportation CEOs, Chief Engineers, and executive leadership from the 18 westernmost states. 

To learn more or to register, click here.

Did You Miss It?
Results of the Safety Center's Research Project: Assessing the Operational and Cultural Environment
Date: January 31, 2017
Organization: National Center for Rural Road Safety

The National Center for Rural Road Safety (Safety Center) hosted a webinar on January 31. The webinar provided an overview of the program of research undertaken by the Safety Center to understand the cultural and operational factors within traffic safety organizations that predict utilization of (effective) resources and tools for workforce training and education. Speakers included Nic Ward and Jay Otto, Montana State University, and Danena Gaines, Cambridge Systematics.

To view this webinar or other previous Safety Center webinars, click here.

Resources
Small Urban and Rural Transit Resources

The West Region Transportation Workforce Center is pleased to add a wide range of transit-related workforce development resources to its website. The resources focus on accessibility issues, ADA, and small urban and rural transit systems.  


Please check out our website for the most up-to-date news and activities.

Is your organization hosting an event or opportunity you would like to share with the regional network? Please contact us and we will be happy to help you distribute the information.