Building a Stronger Workforce: How PennDOT is Strengthening Its Pipeline for Long-Term Organizational Growth

As the transportation industry continues to evolve, it is important for PennDOT to maintain a robust workforce. PennDOT’s Workforce Optimization and Development Operations (WODO)  Section and the Bureau of Workforce and Business Opportunity (BWBO) are working on several initiatives to expand and strengthen its current workforce. 

With the adoption of Strategic Workforce Development, a Federal Highway Administration Every Day Counts Round 7 (EDC-7) innovation, PennDOT has created resources to continuously attract and retain workers in a growing industry.  

PennDOT’s approach to expanding its workforce concentrates on attracting new employees through various events. WODO staff members regularly meet with district offices to understand workforce needs as well as address and reduce the number of vacant positions. Additionally, WODO attends community events to showcase and inform the public about PennDOT career opportunities. This includes attending college career fairs, meeting with technical schools, participating in parades, county fairs, and more. For instance, every January, WODO, along with employees from other areas of PennDOT, attend the  Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg to distribute materials and communicate  various  career  opportunities available within PennDOT to the thousands of people who attend the event. 

WODO also offers greater opportunities for interns to gain practical experience within the transportation industry. The Transportation Quality Initiative Shared Interns Program allows technical and engineering students to experience Pennsylvania’s transportation industry by giving access to relevant work experience, professional speakers, networking opportunities, hands-on activities and field trips.

Another program that PennDOT offers is the On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program. Managed by BWBO, the OJT Program provides training opportunities for minority, women, and economically disadvantaged individuals to advance them toward journey-level positions in highway construction trades. Inherently, the OJT Program addresses the historical underrepresentation of members of these groups in highway construction skilled crafts.  

When a PennDOT project includes a special provision, contractors must recruit and hire individuals who fit the demographics of the OJT Program to assist in the work. At the conclusion of training, trainees receive a certificate of completion and have the potential to advance towards journey-level status in highway construction trades.

“Individuals who patriciate in the OJT Program have supportive resources available to them while in the program,” said Perrise Saluhdin, director of workforce opportunity in BWBO. “We’re able to help support them while they learn and work. These resources keep them in the program, which in turn opens up a lot of opportunities for them.”  

Beyond attracting new employees, PennDOT is dedicated to strengthening its current workforce by building a talent pipeline. This includes sharing the vast institutional knowledge of PennDOT with new employees and investing in their success from the start of their employment. Having resources for employees to reference, opportunities to be mentored, and access to training programs supports the long-term organizational success for PennDOT.

“By developing additional leadership programs, allowing job shadowing and mentoring, we are developing future leaders in PennDOT at all levels,” said Jodi Nolt, workforce optimization manager in WODO.  

Moreover, PennDOT offers several leadership development programs to continue investing in its current employees. These programs, such as the PennDOT Leadership Academy for Managers and the Executive Leadership Development Program, are designed to enhance employees’ skills, increase job satisfaction, increase employee performance, develop a stronger work culture, and PennDOT’s workforce succession planning efforts.

Workforce development continues to be an important focus for PennDOT due to the ever-evolving transportation industry and the increased demand for highway workers. With on-the-job-training opportunities, career development programs, and position resources and support, PennDOT can continue to expand its workforce while providing a safe and reliable transportation network for Pennsylvanians.