Evaluation of a Development Program for Transportation Engineers

Abstract

A shortage of trained, prepared transportation engineers for leadership positions is growing in state departments of transportation (DOTs). This shortage is influenced by four factors. First, insufficient numbers of engineering graduates choose work at DOTs. Second, those who do choose DOT jobs enter with deficits in transportation-related engineering knowledge. Third, the DOTs have difficulty retaining the new engineers. Finally, increasing levels of experienced staff are retiring, adding to the expertise and leadership deficit. DOTs are reaching out to students at college and high school levels to encourage careers in transportation engineering; this outreach includes diversity programs and summer internships. Some DOTs work with colleges through cooperative research programs. To maintain engineering staff expertise, those agencies are increasingly providing young unlicensed engineers with in-house training that can include mentoring, functional area rotations, instructional training, and support for staff preparing to take the professional engineer exam. This study examines the steps that DOTs are taking nationally to train unlicensed engineers and focuses on a training program at the Dallas District of the Texas DOT. The research team performed a literature review and collected data about DOT training programs. Two surveys were conducted to compare programs at various DOTs and to assess the effectiveness of the training program from the Texas DOT Dallas District in improving staff performance (e.g., increase staff attainment of professional engineer licenses, rapid promotion within the agency, leadership, improved retention rates). Survey feedback, including recommendations for improving existing training programs, was analyzed. Training programs appear to improve both retention and expertise and are positive investments.