Future-Ready Workforce
States and cities across the U.S. are aggressively attracting business investment from national and international companies. Such investments translate into job growth and opportunities for local workers to acquire new skills and expand training to meet the rising demand with a robust, skilled workforce. Driving this growth in a regional economy takes dynamic collaboration among municipalities, educational institutions, corporate entities, the community and others to invest in both talent cultivation and transportation infrastructure.
The ever-evolving transportation industry has grappled with talent acquisition for some time, partly because transportation encompasses several differentiated career paths like planning, engineering, architecture, communications and so many more.
A persistent workforce shortage is being felt across the transportation industry. The American Public Transportation Association surveyed transit agencies in 2023, and found that 96% of respondents were experiencing a workforce shortage, and 84% of those said the shortage affects their ability to provide service. Meanwhile, a July 2023 Yale University study on procurement and infrastructure costs that included procurement officials from all 50 state departments of transportation found that nearly 90% of respondents said their state DOT was severely (20%) or moderately (68%) understaffed.
Such shortages are particularly challenging in an era when our transportation infrastructure is being infused with $1.2 trillion of federal funding.
The disconnect between funding flows and workforce gaps highlights a key question: How will the industry cultivate a new generation of innovators to build and manage the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow? One answer is to explore new sources for talent beyond traditional methods and paths of higher education alone.
Today, there’s an increasing realization that strengthening the local community — by providing jobs, training and careers — should be a major factor in how transportation projects are developed. Achieving this integration requires partnerships among agencies, contractors, subcontractors and community-based organizations. These groups serve a vital role in articulating community needs, sourcing prospective talent and identifying or creating training programs that can provide the skills job creators need. State and local government also play a key role in supporting these partnerships by legislating and leveraging federal funding sources that address both national and local priorities.
For its part, HNTB recognizes the community benefits and helps bring job seekers and transportation opportunities together with its THINK Connect events. These engaging networking events are designed to foster meaningful connections and facilitate knowledge sharing. They are opportunities for individuals and communities to come together and learn from one another and to form connections that may guide career paths. The diversity of talent, experience and interest shapes these events and the outcome of a broader talent pool.
Our industry fosters economic growth and mobility for all. That mobility starts at a young age with access to health care and education and grows when there is a cohesive partnership between transportation and the community. Relying on this partnership is essential to broaden our thinking and to develop and shape a future-ready workforce.
In this issue of THINK, we explore workforce development in transportation through the lenses of:
• county-level initiatives to attract business investment and support growth;
• national outreach that is cultivating a diverse workforce to enrich industry innovation; and
• state legislative breakthroughs that open career doors to community members.
Judge Bill Gravell Jr., County Judge of Williamson County, and his team are building highly effective regional workforce strategies, which combined with a robust Road Bond Program, are convincing many large global corporations to build new headquarters and high-tech manufacturing facilities in the county. See article on page 4.
April Rai, President and CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) shares how successfully competing with other industries excites a new generation of professionals. See article on page 8.
In California, one creative legislative initiative (Senate Bill 150) linked climate action, labor standards and training requirements to boost the state’s construction workforce. Senator Dave Cortese of California’s 15th District has been shaping the state’s transportation policies for decades and is a joint author of Senate Bill 150, which has Caltrans support of the state’s High Road Construction Careers program and includes community benefits be addressed in contracts above $35 million. See article on page 12.
Talent Fostered by Economic Growth
How Williamson County has shaped workforce development through steadfast investment in economic growth.
By Judge Bill Gravell Jr. | County Judge of Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County, Texas, is home to some of America’s fastest-growing towns and has been steadily establishing its workforce development programs in line with creating economic opportunities. Aligning both has helped the county enhance workforce skills, knowledge and capabilities while adapting to market changes.
Situated north of Austin, the county embraces industries such as cattle raising and farming while attracting global businesses like Samsung, Apple and Dell, which are investing billions to create national headquarters and large-scale manufacturing facilities. This diversity in industries has brought talent with a range of skills and established economic expansion and job creation opportunities for the region.
The story of our county over the past two decades is summed up in a word: growth. In 2000, we had a population of about 250,000. Today, the population has grown to 700,000, and two of our cities — Georgetown and Leander — were recently highlighted as the fastest- and second-fastest growing cities over 50,000 in America, respectively, and Jarrell, was the fastest-growing city in Texas in 2022.
People-Powered Progress
Through a concerted effort, the county has evaluated how to foster economic growth while maintaining the workforce needed in the region. Companies place the greatest emphasis on how attractive the local community is for employees who drive organizational success. Business leaders understand that people want to live and work in an area where they can travel easily between home and work, access quality health care, education and services and enjoy their quality of life. Williamson County possesses all of those positive qualities, and leaders here work hard to preserve those qualities even as we keep pace with rapid growth.
In addition, the county maintains the workforce with the skills required by these industries. That is why our vision for workforce development covers everything from higher education to vocational training — aligning the demands of the market with a skilled labor force. For instance, Georgetown is building a new innovative high school that will bring together students and the private sector to give the next generation the skills for great technical jobs.
Leaders in our county frequently discuss workforce development strategies with major Texas universities and colleges. We share a commitment to helping the high-tech industry access advanced engineering and technical skills.
An example of this is Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education Department, which is expanding its offerings for companies in Williamson County. Nine employees from TASUS Texas Corp. and R&D Molders Inc., both plastics fabrication companies in Georgetown, are taking a 12-week maintenance technician course at the Hutto campus.
For the first time, the Workforce Training and Continuing Education department is working with Tesla to conduct a tool-and-die apprenticeship for employees to take classes in Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology. Students can learn a specialized skill set that is critical for the automotive industry. This allows the region to meet the needs of employers while growing its workforce capabilities.
These programs promote the development of a skilled and diverse workforce, which in turn attracts investments from companies looking for qualified professionals. This leads to the creation and expansion of trades and businesses in the region.
Even as we strive to build opportunities in higher education, we never underestimate the value that tradespeople — from truck drivers, to electricians, to surveyors, to carpenters — play in a strong community. Trade schools are indispensable for giving people access to these career paths. So, we are constantly leaning forward to develop the workforce for all these trades.
The owner of a highly successful plumbing company in Taylor, for example, has created an apprenticeship program to train the next generation of plumbers. It’s a career that pays well and the work is always in demand.
Our approach of combining economic growth and workforce development strengthens our regional economy, making it more resilient to external factors. This resilience creates an environment where we attract new investments and create opportunities for development now and in the future.
Welcoming a Global Leader
Samsung, one of the world’s top five technology companies, was looking for a place to build its most advanced semiconductor manufacturing plant in the U.S. They asked us to make a pitch about why Williamson County, and specifically the town of Taylor, would make an ideal home for their massive new facility and their $17 billion investment. The competition was fierce: Samsung was already looking at seven other U.S. sites for this project, which would result in thousands of construction jobs and thousands of other job opportunities once the plant became operational.
Commitment to Growth
The centerpiece of our commitment to growth was the county’s innovative Road Bond Program, which was launched in 2000.
In that year, county voters approved accessing long-term financing by selling bonds to fund major capital improvement projects. Later, in 2006, 2013 and 2019, voters approved subsequent bond packages aimed at improving safety, mobility and community assets.
Each road package has been accompanied by Park Bonds, which have secured nearly 5,000 acres of parks and preserves, more than 50 miles of trails and expanded county park facilities. One of Samsung’s critical requirements involved making comprehensive improvements to road infrastructure surrounding the proposed site. We engaged our facilities crews to start patching
potholes to deal with the worst issues and placed road-maintenance vehicles in the area to signal our intent to complete future work. While these efforts were in progress, we began to develop initial designs for highway and road construction and enhancements in the vicinity of the site. The aim was to demonstrate our commitment to expediting road improvements. We assembled leaders from various business partners, utility providers, developers and the U.S. Department of Commerce. We shared our concepts for improvements including County Road 401 and County Road 404 and the new Samsung Highway, which drew rousing applause. Having the infrastructure in place to support our growth is critical to provide jobs and develop our workforce now and in the future.
We had to demonstrate we had and could attract the workforce, could construct the infrastructure to accommodate Samsung and its employees, and that Williamson County was the place Samsung needed to be. Our strong focus on aligning workforce development and economic resilience was attractive to Samsung. So was our alignment with training centers and education institutions. We were selected and Samsung and the county began aligning our workforce development visions.
Companies like Samsung and Hanwha, an automation company, will be placing equipment in Georgetown High School so students can be trained on their technologies. For Samsung, the project is part of a broad workforce development program, which will build a strong talent pipeline for their new and existing facilities in our region. For the county, it is another example of why this is the place to be to develop skills and capabilities while building or expanding your career.
Road to the Future
The county is experiencing growth in many areas and fortunately anticipated the impact of this growth decades ago. We knew we needed to provide overall social well-being for the region by fostering a diverse workforce and attracting innovators who create opportunities so people and businesses would come and stay.
It’s truly a privilege to serve as County Judge in Williamson County. It’s been my philosophy from day one — whether it’s an economic development initiative or workforce development program — that our office doesn’t say no, but rather we figure out how we can work toward a yes. We will always sit at the table, have a conversation and see how we can collaborate to improve opportunities and quality of life for the people we serve.
Judge Bill Gravell Jr. is the County Judge of Williamson County, Texas, and was appointed on March 1, 2013.
County Judge Gravell serves as chief executive officer of the county and is involved in almost all aspects of county government, in accordance with Texas law. His responsibilities include preparing the county budget and presiding over Commissioners Court, a group of elected officials who work with him to shape the county’s future. Judge Gravell also is the administrator over the County Departments and Senior Department Heads that report directly to the Commissioners Court.
He previously served as the Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace in Williamson County from January 2015 to December 2018. While Justice of the Peace, Judge Gravell was named “2016 Judge of the Year” by the Texas Justice of the Peace and Constables Association. Before he became a leader in government, Judge Gravell’s profession focused on ministry. He served 22 years as a Pastor of Sonterra Fellowship in Jarrell. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. A proud Williamson County native, he and his wife Jill have two grown children and five grandchildren and live in Georgetown, Texas.
Meeting The Moment
As federal infrastructure investments surge, COMTO is helping the transportation industry engage a more diverse workforce to build a better future.
By April Rai | President and CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials
Two years ago, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law, authorizing $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending. This historic investment represents such a huge opportunity for the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials as a transportation advocacy organization. We are a voice of equity for all communities.
Our organization is built on principles of knowledge sharing and promoting partnerships for success. COMTO has been in existence for more than 50 years and our entire purpose is to initiate opportunities and uplift the benefits of our members by actively engaging diverse, top talent. Diversity, in all of its forms, drives innovation.
Across the nation, talent grows and thrives in innovative trade schools, historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and many other organizations that serve and promote advancement in economically disadvantaged communities. We encourage COMTO members, especially our agency and private sector members, to engage such institutions so they can meet their demand for talent. COMTO offers various opportunities and mechanisms to help connect organizations with talent. Some take the form of direct outreach to agencies and organizations that are looking for interns or have various employment opportunities. At the same time, we reach out to existing networks of colleges, institutions and trade schools to create connections between market demand and eager talent.
Cultivating Young Talent
COMTO is perhaps best known for managing successful employment pipeline programs. Among them is our Careers in Transportation for Youth (CITY) internship program, which is celebrating its 20th year in 2024. CITY provides paid internship opportunities for minority students, connecting them to hands-on professional and practical experience in the transportation industry in regions across the country. We’re very proud that more than 50% of interns who have completed this 10-week program have chosen to remain in the transportation industry.
One reason for the program’s success is that COMTO supplements the on-the-job experience with virtual training in soft skills that contribute to success in business. This virtual training covers topics such as how to dress for success, how to communicate effectively and even how to overcome imposter syndrome, which affects many people coming from disadvantaged communities when they work in a professional environment for the first time.
For COMTO members in the small businesses category, our organization covers the cost of the 10-week internship, so the intern gets an opportunity to work with an entrepreneur who likely looks like them, and the business can extend the opportunity without being hindered by expense considerations.
Connectors and Conveners
Many organizations need more people on their teams and are deeply interested in building a more diverse workforce. What COMTO does, and has been doing for decades, is show them what success looks like — how organizations like theirs have been able to seize opportunities to increase engagement and diversity in their recruiting and retention pool. We curate connections between like-minded organizations so they can learn from one another.
One phenomenal success story of a similar model is that of the Michigan DOT’s Transportation Diversity Recruitment Program (TDRP). Through this program, MDOT works directly with historically black colleges and universities to arrange internship opportunities in their organization. MDOT has been able to expand the program exponentially, connecting more and more young people to careers that can be sustained over the long term.
One of COMTO’s strengths is to be a convener and thought leader in the area of transportation equity. This is one reason why the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) chose our
organization to support their equityrelated efforts. We are proud to be leading the equity components of their Center for Environmental Excellence, which helps state DOTs learn from one another about engaging the environment, including the cultural environment and communities we all serve.
Why a Transportation Career?
The transportation industry needs top talent now more than ever before. We have to ensure that our industry is more attractive to the next generation, and we can do this in a number of ways.
The first is to showcase specifically how we and our colleagues in transportation make our communities better through our work. The generation that is entering the workforce is extremely interested in serving the common good — above all other factors. Certainly, they want to have a career that offers financial stability and good benefits, but research indicates that this rising generation cares a lot more about the community, the environment, sustainability and resiliency. This means that our industry must find creative ways to communicate the exponential impact of transportation on the quality of life in communities we serve across the nation.
The second way to attract new talent to our industry is to let young people know there is a place for them in transportation. There is a perception that transportation careers are solely focused on engineering and construction. Those activities are core to our industry, but we have so much more to offer. We need artists, marketing professionals, social media experts, computer whizzes, landscape designers, mathematicians and almost every other type of person. We need to make it perfectly clear to young people that regardless of their
interest or their skill set, we will find a place for them in this industry, because we really need it all.
The Task Ahead
Through the diligent work of organizations like COMTO and thousands of transportation professionals around the country, we have made great strides in developing a more diverse industry workforce. We have moved in the right direction and should be proud of our efforts to attract talent to our industry at an early age. We must work together to retain that talent throughout their
career cycle, and then help them move into leadership roles with intention. This means ensuring that we serve as mentors, sponsors and allies to individuals so they can cross the threshold from practitioners into leaders.
As organizations seek to develop a more vibrant and diverse workforce, I extend an offer of assistance and practical guidance from COMTO and its members in 39 chapters across the United States. We are kindred spirits in meeting the moment that America’s historic transportation investments have created.
April Rai is President and CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, a national advocacy organization with more than 3,000 organizational and individual members. For more than 50 years, COMTO has worked to advance equitable opportunities and ensure maximum participation for minority individuals, veterans, people with disabilities and minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprises. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and guidance, and ensures that COMTO operates effectively to further its mission.
April has devoted her career to managing private, public sector and nonprofit organizations, with a focus on strategic partnership development, coalition building, and people and project management. Before joining COMTO, she served as Deputy Executive Director for the Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS). There she served as Chief of Staff, led project planning, and managed several board-level committees and strategic initiatives. Prior to joining WTS, April served as the CEO for the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), engaging with transportation stakeholders on road safety programs, injury prevention education and workforce development initiatives.
Earlier in her career, April served as Manager and Affairs Analyst in the Office of the Dean at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing directing government affairs and communications. April resides in the Washington, D.C. metro area with her husband.
Golden Opportunity
In California, a groundbreaking law is linking climate action, labor standards and training imperatives to cultivate a more diverse workforce to build a new generation of transportation infrastructure.
By Senator Dave Cortese | California Senate District 15
California’s transportation network is the largest and most complex in the nation, delivering mobility solutions to nearly 40 million people across 163,000 square miles. Our state is a leader in transportation innovation, and now its pioneering work has entered an essential new area: reshaping how we engage, develop and compensate a more diverse generation of transportation professionals.
Last year, California successfully enacted Senate Bill 150 (SB 150). The legislation is providing greater access to training opportunities and good-paying jobs in the transportation industry through enhanced labor standards, initiatives and funding.
Here are the key provisions of the SB 150 infrastructure workforce development bill:
• Caltrans Support of High Road Construction Careers Program – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) must reserve $50 million of federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), to be allocated over four years, in support of the state’s High Road Construction Careers program. High Road seeks to create opportunities for those who have been marginalized or disadvantaged, while helping to adapt to climate change and environmental sustainability challenges. The program creates partnerships with employers to help individuals acquire the skills necessary to secure good-paying jobs in the construction industry.
• Linkage of Contracts to Community Benefits – When the aggregate costs of a construction contract(s) exceed $35 million, the state agency must require the contractor to include community benefits as part of the agreement. Such benefits might involve partnerships with High Road, local hire goals, job fairs for construction apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs, or other focus areas that promote opportunities for veterans and those who live in economically disadvantaged areas. This aspect of the Bill will help ensure that infrastructure dollars have clear impact on the workers and families who make their homes where major projects are being undertaken.
• Embedding Workforce Standards in Procurement and Contracting – The state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Government Operations Agency and the Transportation Agency must work with a wide range of stakeholders — local public agencies, labor groups, nonprofits and advocacy groups — to help establish terms to be included as a material part of a contract, including measurable results to ensure that investments maximize benefits to marginalized and disadvantaged communities.
The foundational concept of this legislation is to prepare California for a changing climate by equipping our workforce with the knowledge and skills to innovate in industries that are more sustainable and diverse than ever before. By drawing on state and federal investments, and surpassing federal job requirements, we are laying the groundwork for good-paying, eco-friendly jobs in the state.
Shaping a Workforce Development Bill
Legislative initiatives often can take a long time to develop. However, in the case of SB 150, we had to move very quickly to respond to the extraordinary infrastructure funding opportunities arising from a series of historic federal stimulus bills.
In the summer of 2021, the legislature was tasked with developing a package of bills that would streamline infrastructure development and speed up construction projects that could help the state meet its clean energy and climate goals. The legislative pace was so brisk that there was little time to integrate specific labor standards and community impact factors before the state’s budget vote. However, those advocating for these issues gained commitments from key administration and legislative leaders to address them in a bill that would complement the infrastructure streamlining package. Ultimately, the streamlining package and the SB 150 workforce development bill were signed into law together in July 2023.
The process of developing legislation and building political consensus will differ across the country, but I offer a few observations from our journey as SB 150 coauthors, who made labor standards and community benefits our north star.
1. Emphasize Transportation’s Enduring Value
Transportation competes for funding in the context of a myriad of other priorities. In our process, we highlighted the breadth of transportation’s value – extending beyond mobility to encompass its impact on climate, equity, community, innovation
and economic growth. Additionally, and importantly, we earned support by emphasizing how transportation investments create hard assets that remain on the balance sheet for decades to come. One illustration of this is our high-speed rail project, which we intend to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, and many other cities. Such a transformative project requires long-term financial commitments to achieve its full potential.
2. Collaborate to Build Legislative Support
I was one of five legislators who authored and advocated for SB 150 over the course of more than two years. My coauthors were Senators Maria Elena Durazo and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (Los Angeles), Senator Lena Gonzalez (Long Beach), and Assemblymember Luz Rivas (San Fernando Valley). Our combined districts have more than 4 million constituents, and reflect diverse populations, geographies and key priorities. Accordingly, as we collaborated on SB 150, we took time to address a range of important goals relating to equitable hiring, minority community focus, clean energy, career pathways and more. Our ability to find common ground in authoring the Bill helped us also win support of like-minded legislators, letting us secure commitments for SB 150 votes after budget passage.
3. Elicit broad stakeholder perspectives
During the late 2023 legislative recess, a listening campaign with stakeholder groups was held to gain their perspectives on the proposed new law. We focused on how we could be more inclusive, speaking not only with builders and other private-sector participants, but also public-sector representatives. This approach paid off. The latter conversations, which included a range of union officials, yielded strong support for the labor and equity standards we were planning to attach to transportation investments.
Officials urged us to expand such standards to large-scale public projects beyond transportation. We intend to advocate for such a broadening of scope in the future and we’ve started this next effort already in the State Senate.
4. Dispel misconceptions about labor standards
There is a narrative in the political realm that if you attach labor standards and equity provisions to funding that is intended to create infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities, that it will stunt progress. The thrust of this narrative is that private investments by builders, developers and entrepreneurs will shift elsewhere if such conditions exist. However, we have not seen this happen in Santa Clara County. Awhile back, we chose to attach labor standards to a seismic retrofit project for our county’s health and hospital system, one of the state’s largest. Today, our hospital is one of the only systems, public or private, that has successfully been seismically retrofitted. Many other retrofit projects in the state have not gotten traction, which suggests that labor standards may help, rather than hinder, complex construction projects.
Investing in workforce development, labor standards and community benefits help to advance our shared vision of a “California for All,” supporting greater opportunity, equity, sustainability and 21st century infrastructure. Our President Pro Tem, Mike McGuire has embodied this effort with his “California Made” legislative packaging. Hopefully leading to similar investments in our manufacturing workforce. Based on 30 years in various political and government roles, I am convinced that investments in people, good wages and family success are the keys to a thriving economy and great quality of life. In my view, there is no better economic stimulus than making sure that people are paid adequate wages and that investing in the community helps it prosper.
Senator Dave Cortese was elected in November of 2020 to represent California State Senate District 15, which encompasses much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. An accomplished attorney and business owner, he previously served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for over a decade, with four years as Board President, on the San Jose City Council for eight years, including two years as Vice Mayor, and as a trustee for the East Side Union High School District for eight years.
Sen. Cortese has extensive experience with transportation issues. In March 2024, he was appointed to the California Transportation Commission (CTC), which is responsible for programming and allocating funds for the construction of highway, passenger rail, transit and active transportation improvements throughout the state. He is the Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, a past leader with the Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and served for two decades as a board member of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in Santa Clara County.
Sen. Cortese graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory then University of California, Davis, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. He earned his Juris Doctorate at Lincoln University Law School in San Jose.
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