Joint Training & Certification Program puts finishing touches on recertification classes

technicians and is now offering a new recertification class for HMA 1, HMA2 and Soils & Aggregates. Pictured, left to right (standing): Mark Switzer, LOR Geotechnical; Richard Hibbard, Caltrans; Shadi Saadeh, CSULB; Roger Khoudessian, Klleinfelder; Chris Fuchs, Teichert; Randy Cortez, BSK & Associates; Avinash Ralla, Caltrans; Arpit Kasodariya, student assistant, CSULB; (Kneeling left to right), Dave Aver, JTCP instructor; Balakrishnasai Yarra, student assistant, CSULB; Abhilash Reddy Gujjula, student assistant, CSULB.

Right: CSULB Graduate Student Drashti Patel assists with class logistics for the JTCP classes in Long Beach. She said she has gained a greater appreciation for construction materials during her lab work.

The Caltrans-industry Joint Training & Certification Program (JTCP) for construction materials lab technicians put the finishing touches on its new recertification classes recently, bringing together instructors from Northern and Southern California for a runthrough of the new curriculum at California State University, Long Beach.

The classes will give experienced testers the opportunity to take a one-day refresher of the various changes to test methods and standards, followed by the proctored hands-on tests on actual equipment in a materials laboratory setting. The pilot classes held Dec. 22 gave the program managers and instructors an opportunity to finalize the curriculum before the classes are held this year.

“This is an extremely successful pilot program," said Caltrans project manager Richard Hibbard during a break in the program. "We’re learning an incredible amount from each other and how to move forward these one-day review courses. This is going to pay huge dividends.”

Added Dr. Shadi Saadeh from CSULB, the program manager: "This is a great event, to give us a chance to make sure that the product that we are producing and delivering is in good shape, and it is error-free and its been vetted."

The program, championed by CalAPA and overseen by Caltrans, is operated under contract by

California State University Long Beach, which delivers classes on the CSULB campus as well as at San Jose State University. The program has trained and certified thousands of industry and agency technicians since its inception in 2017. The classes are Hot Mix Asphalt I, Hot Mix Asphalt 2, Soils & Aggregates and classes on concrete held in cooperation with the American Concrete Institute. The program has come to represent a key "accountability" feature of SB1, the $50 billion Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 that raised fuel taxes to fund road and bridge repairs. CA