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employees, and is described as follows by TxDOT's train- These constraints are ones that are consistent with the
ing director: issues facing public service organizations at every level of
government, made both more difficult and more possible
With the new advent of public/private ventures in the state with because most organizations are finally realizing the value of
the $128 billion Trans Texas Corridor project, contractors in the well-qualified employees--human capital--to the organiza-
private workforce are going to be looking at the Department to
set the guidelines or provide the actual training for their employ- tion's ability to meet its strategic goals and outcomes.
ees in numerous areas such as materials test and acceptance, However, many of these same organizations do not yet fully
inspection, DBE/HUB [Disadvantaged Business Enterprise/His- realize that for staff to have the skills and knowledge to
torically Underutilized Business] Title 6 reporting, environmen- achieve the strategic goals and objectives, the institution
tal issues, etc. TQD [Training, Quality, and Development] has
already been requested to prepare a preliminary impact to the must be willing to make very significant training and devel-
training operations and how we can accommodate increased opment investments. This may be the most important of the
training needs to the private sector. costbenefit or return on investment issues facing state DOTs
and most other public institutions.
When comparing state DOTs' training programs to those
of other public organizations at the local, state, and federal
level, state DOTs tend to be greater users of partnerships of SHARING AND INTEGRATING INFORMATION
all kinds. There is an extensive and complex network for
relationships between state DOTs and professional organiza- Software Tools
tions such as AASHTO, FHWA, and NHI, with its extensive
The software tools identified by survey respondents include:
funding and training course support; between and among
DOT training programs and local community colleges, state
· Pathlore Enterprise Learning Management System
colleges and universities, and private colleges and universi-
(Arizona, Maryland).
ties; and between state DOT training programs and a variety
· STARS Management Learning System (Arizona).
of professional organizations, such as those for engineers and
· Training Partner 2003, a learning management system
other technical transportation professions.
(Pennsylvania).
· PeopleSoft 8.3 for training processes, course sessions,
OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, enrollments, course completion data, individual tran-
AND CONSTRAINTS scripts, etc. Automation links between the Department's
Learning Content Management System for on-line courses
Opportunities--A number of agencies identified the oppor- and updates to PS8.3 on Training Transcripts (Texas).
tunities to begin or expand e-learning, mentoring, and · A new Learning Management System installed in 2005
coaching programs, as well as blended learning for state to enhance the management and study of employee
DOT staff and expanding training offerings to meet new skills, and to what extent training meets those needs
demands, offering training to both public and private (California).
employees based on the "advent of public/private ventures." · On-Track, a training management system (Michigan).
Two agencies identified developing a succession planning · Training Records System--A propriety training data-
program. base and learning management system (Ohio).
· Human Resource Information System for tracking
Challenges--The themes from this question are keeping up attendance and hours of training, PeopleSoft 8.3
with technology (including transferring to a statewide learn- (Montana).
ing management system) and making sound technology · ETRN is an internal mainframe tracking system used to
investments, dealing with the impact and effects of large track training completion and requirements. It is ac-
numbers of staff retiring, particularly when as individuals cessible to managers, supervisors, and employees
retire they cannot be replaced either at all or at least on a one- (Louisiana).
to-one basis. Another theme was addressing the conflicts that · Meridian Software to develop web-based training
come with a multi-generational workforce and implementing (Idaho).
within the DOT a statewide competency system. A third · Training laboratory with 10 desktop PCs (North
theme was linking the training function more closely to the Dakota).
agency or state strategic plan.
· Mainframe Automated Training Management System
(Washington State).
Constraints--The most predominant theme was an imbalance
between demands and either dollar and/or staff resources,
particularly in the face of a rising demand for training prod- Other Means of Program Support
ucts and services. One response cited the need to convince
management that not all performance problems could be State DOTs use the full range of tools available in today's
solved through training. world, including e-mail, electronic publications, electronic
