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 Building the Talent Pipeline
It would appear that March was Talent Pipeline month, with several events focused on this important topic area. The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been sharing its approach to talent pipeline management, which leverages lessons learned from supply chain management and applies them to education and workforce partnerships. A series of white papers and an implementation guide on this topic can be accessed from the Chamber website.
The Foundation additionally hosted a full-day national conference on Talent Pipeline Management on March 23 in Washington, DC. Don't worry if you missed it. You can watch the webcast online (all 5 hours!) on the Chamber website.
 And speaking of missing it. For those of you on spring break the week of March 15, you can still access the Developing the Transportation Talent Pipeline webinar recording from the MTWC website.
The webinar, co-hosted by the Midwest Transportation Workforce Center and the Transportation Research Board Education and Training Committee, featured a panel discussion about proven strategies for enhancing employer competitiveness and profitability through improved access to skilled workers.
Building the Talent Pipeline through effective partnerships between education providers and industry was identified by our Stakeholder Engagement Group as a regional priority during our February advisory meeting. As one advisory board member put it, "
Very simply, industry needs to get involved, on a routine basis, with helping to "grow' their future workforce by involvement in their local schools."
The West Region Transportation Workforce Center is hosting a working group session to gather input on strategic action plans to address regional priority needs such as talent pipeline development. The working group will help set strategic objectives and outcomes, and identify the partners and leads needed to implement the strategies. If you would like to provide input on this process and be involved in the working group, please register here to participate in the Working Group Session. The session will be held on May 31, 2016 at 11:00 AM Mountain Time.
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MEDA Panel Participation
The WRTWC will participate in a panel discussion on "Fostering a Talented Workforce - Best Practices" during the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) spring conference to be held in Butte, Montana, April 20-22, 2016. The conference theme is focused on developing a talented workforce and applying best practices to develop, train, and retain qualified workers.
For more information, visit the MEDA website.
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Connected/Automated Vehicles Workshop at Montana State University
The Western Transportation Institute (WTI) is hosting a workshop to explore the potential research, demonstration and workforce development opportunities in the rapidly growing field of Connected and Automated Vehicles. Working in partnership with the College of Engineering and the Vice President of Research at Montana State University (MSU), WTI has invited a panel of federal agency, university, and private sector experts to present the latest developments in Connected Vehicle/Automated Vehicle research and development to faculty and researchers at MSU. The event will be held on Thursday, April 28 from 7:45 AM to 11:30 AM at the Western Transportation Institute. Private industry (automakers, Google) and the federal government are currently making huge investments in the development of Connected and Automated Vehicles. This field has the potential to transform the transportation industry, as well as the next generation of transportation careers. WTI and MSU are exploring multi-disciplinary research initiatives on the topic, which will build expertise among faculty and researchers, and provide cutting edge educational and career training opportunities for students. For more information, contact WTI.
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TLN DOT Roundtable
The Transportation Learning Network (TLN) at North Dakota State University is hosting a Workforce Development Roundtable with state department of transportation representatives from North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana on Friday, April 29, 2016 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Central Time. The roundtable will include a 30 minute keynote speaker presentation by Robin Thorstenson, Human Resources professional and trainer. She will talk about the policy implications of having five generations now in the workforce, the major changes facing the workforce over the next five years, and what these changes may mean for transportation organizations. For more information, please contact Jo Bogner, TLN Associate Director.
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AASHTO-HR Annual Meeting
 The West Region Transportation Workforce Center will be participating at the AASHTO Human Resources Subcommittee annual meeting to be held in Denver, Colorado,
May 1-3, 2016. We will present on activities and upcoming initiatives from all five regional centers that make up the National Network for the Transportation Workforce (nntw.org). While there, we hope to have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with representatives from our region's ten state DOTs. Please let us know if you plan to attend!
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West Region Transportation Workforce Center to co-host event with the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative
Too often programs that serve girls in STEM are limited in service and impact due to size, location, funding, expertise, and equipment. In other cases, projects compete with each other, duplicating services and seeking the same resources. The West Region Transportation Workforce Center is collaborating with the Montana Girls STEM Collaborative to co-host an event that will bring informal STEM educators and transportation practitioners together to discuss how they can more productively work together to share know-how and to build the future talent pipeline in STEM. The event will be held on the Montana State University campus on
Thursday, May 19, 2016. For more information, or to register to participate in our industry panel discussion or speed networking event, please contact the WRTWC
event coordinator.
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U.S. - Russia University Partnership Program - Developing an Accessible Transportation Environment in Small Urban and Rural Areas
The Western Transportation Institute has received a grant from the Eurasia Foundation to undertake a unique international collaborative effort with partners at the Moscow State University for Transport Engineering (MIIT) in Moscow, Russia. The collaboration will result in a better understanding of the unique challenges small urban and rural transit providers face in providing accessible transit services, and will showcase innovations and staff training opportunities that can be implemented to address them. The project partners will implement a joint research project and a series of webinars, as well as collect and disseminate resources and best practices to transit providers and educators via the WRTWC and MIIT online resource centers. The comparative differences in national regulatory and funding environments in Russia and the United States are expected to highlight creative solutions. Transit providers with unique approaches to staff training or accessible service provision are encouraged to reach out to the project lead.
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Pacific Northwest Apprenticeship Education Conference
The 4th Biennial Pacific Northwest Apprenticeship Education Conference (PNWAEC) is taking place in Portland, Oregon on
May 24-25, 2016. The theme of this year's conference is Engagement, Expansion, Encouragement. Conference tracks will cover Nontraditional Apprenticeship, Government, Construction Trades, and Education related topics through a variety of exciting and informative workshops.
To register for the
PNWAEC, click
here.
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National Operations Center of Excellence Will Host a Summit on Workforce Development
The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) is hosting a National Summit in Washington, DC, June 22-23, 2016 to help advance national actions to grow a workforce able to successfully execute Transportation Systems Management & Operations program goals. The
summit will define strategic initiatives for advancing workforce objectives for NOCoE and its stakeholders. The NNTW and its regional centers will be represented at the summit.
For more information, visit the NOCoE website.
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Education/Training Opportunities
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Dwight David Eisenhower Graduate Transportation Fellowship Program Applications Due April 14th
The Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP) Graduate Fellowship provides funding for the pursuit of Masters or Doctorate Degrees in transportation related discipline. The program objectives are: 1) to attract the nation's brightest minds to the field of transportation, 2) to enhance the careers of transportation professionals by encouraging them to seek advanced degrees, and, 3) to retain top talent in the transportation industry of the United States. The Program is intended to bring innovation and enhance the breadth and scope of knowledge of the entire transportation community in the United States. The DDETFP Graduate Fellowship encompasses all modes of transportation.
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Walk ing College Fellowship Applications Due April 15th
The Walking College is an interactive, online educational program for walkable community advocates. This spring, 25 Walking College Fellowships will be awarded to community change agents working alone, in organizations, or in professions such as public health, planning, transportation, or education.
For more information, visit the America Walks website. |
Logistics and Transportation Association of North America College Scholarships for Logistics and Supply Chain Management Students Due May 31st
The Logistics and Transportation Association of North America (LTNA) awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors and full-time undergraduate students enrolled in accredited institutions of higher learning in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in the field of supply chain logistics. Students may be accepted or enrolled in the fields of transportation logistics, supply-chain management, traffic management, transportation safety and/or related transportation industry operations and services. Scholarships are awarded based upon the applicant's verified scholastic record, potential, professional interest and character.
For more information on this program, visit the LTNA website.
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American Public Transportation Foundation Scholarship Program Applications Due June 15th
The American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) is now accepting scholarship applications for 2016. The APTF will award a minimum of twenty (20) scholarships of at least $2,500 each to individuals in public transportation industry-related fields of study. Applicants must be enrolled in a fully accredited institution, have and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in course work that is relevant to the industry or required of a degree program, and demonstrate a strong interest in entering the public transportation industry.
For more information about this scholarship program, visit the APTF website.
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WSDOT Highway Construction Trades Scholarship Program Accepting Applications Until July 1st
 Washington's Department of Transportation encourages women, minorities, and socially and economically disadvantaged people interested in the trades to apply for scholarships that help cover the cost of training. Eligible trades include: carpenter, electrician, cement mason, painter, truck driver, iron worker, heavy equipment operator, pile driver, laborer, and heavy equipment mechanic. Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis until July 1, 2016 or until funds run out.
For more information about this scholarship program, visit the WSDOT website.
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Comprehensive Bikeway Design Courses Offered at Portland State University
The Initiative for Bicycle & Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI) at Portland State University is offering two summer professional development courses on Comprehensive Bikeway Design. The Bikeway Design 1.0 course will run August 16-21 and will be coordinated with the 2016 International Open Streets Summit. The Bikeway Design 2.0 course will run July 25-29, 2016. A limited number of scholarships are available for the workshops.
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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.
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