Through the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) On-the-Job Training (OJT) program, the NDDOT assigned 45 trainee positions to 19 contractors; 21 trainees completed their training and advanced to journeyworker status. However, the annual number of trainees who complete their training programs cannot meet the demands for qualified, well-trained transportation construction personnel.
This project is provided through the Federal Highway Administration and is intended to support strategic long-term planning for the OJT program and workforce development. PSI has been contracted to engage current stakeholders in the development of a strategic plan, with the goal of increasing the number of trained transportation construction professionals available for hire. Additionally, the strategic plan project will provide guidelines for researching industry workforce needs and further developing and enhancing training and apprenticeship programs in order to expand the pool of qualified minorities, women, and disadvantaged workers within the highway construction industry.
PSI’s overall goals for the project are to complete a strategic plan that will increase the number of trained highway construction employees in North Dakota, including action steps and metrics that will gauge progress, and to create an on-going collaboration between highway construction companies and the training program providers so they may adapt and grow training opportunities for persons interested in highway construction careers. The goals specific to the strategic planning meeting that PSI will coordinate include:
- Developing an assessment tool for the highway construction company and training program provider interviews
- Identify key stakeholders interested in participating in the strategic plan and marketing the strategic planning meeting to those stakeholders
- Determining the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improving the OJT and apprenticeship practices currently used by prime and sub-contractors performing highway construction
- Identifying the current training opportunities available through certification and academic programs in North Dakota
- Identifying new training programs being developed by the tribal and technical colleges in the state
- Identifying current practices for internships and apprenticeships for construction management students at UND and NDSU
