Workforce of the Future: LTAP Leading the Way

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Workforce of the FutureLTAP Leading the Way

• Joseph S. Toole
• Office of Professional and Corporate Development
• Federal Highway Administration
• May 23, 2005

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• Will we have the workforce we need to meet the
  nations transportation challenges?

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U.S. Birth Rates
AVERAGE
1940 1950 1960
1970 1980 1990
2000
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Generation Next
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THE PERFECT STORM
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The Challenge

• Loss of a huge amount of experience in the
  highway community
• Greater competition for new employees
• Less funds for development and training in many
  States
• Increased use of private sector consultants

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The Opportunity

• Large infusion of new thinking and ideas
• More private sector thinking and practices
• Greater demand for training that is
• Cost effective
• Results driven
• Relevant
• Opportunity to hire new skill sets

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Will we have enough people to fill our
transportation workforce positions in the future?
Very Likely, Yes
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Will we have people with the right set of skills
to fill our transportation workforce positions in
the future?
?
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What is the Skill Set we need for the Future?
Technical
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TECHNICAL SKILLS
Foundation of our business Primary focus of
NHI and LTAP

• New subject areas really define transportation
• Must continue to change with time to stay
  current
• Can test and show specific gains in knowledge
• Instructors are generally available and
  experienced

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What is the Skill Set we need for the Future?
Business Skills
Technical
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BUSINESS SKILLS
How to operate in OUR business Oriented
toward processes and procedures

• Help our customers get through the Red Tape
• More of a how to than an analytic set of
  skills
• Changes often needed quickly, but one shot
• Need to be done in partnership with those who
  have defined the requirements
• Success is if they can apply the process

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What is the Skill Set we need for the Future?
Business Skills
Soft Skills
Technical
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SOFT SKILLS

• Skills that cut across all areas
• Key to Organizational Success

• Factors that make or break an organization
• Include the factors that are needed to work
  with others
• communications, teamwork, leadership
• Also, include factors often seen as traits
• perseverance, commitment, attitude
• Difficult to measure and evaluate

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Impact of Soft Skillsexample

• SAFETY
• As much about changing attitudes as it is
  about knowing the best technology
• Requires a collaborative approach to problem
  solving
• No one person or group has the solution

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What Does This Mean to LTAP/TTAP?

• Ultimately, to have an impact we need to reach
  beyond technical and business skills
• You are as much CHANGE AGENTS as you are trainers
• Your attitudes serve as models to those you reach
  out to
• Openness to innovation
• Commitment to change and improvement
• Importance of teamwork and collaboration

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To provide for the public good
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