The transportation industry is facing challenges in recruiting, training, and retaining a resilient and skilled workforce for changing modes and communities. The Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s Summit on the Future of the Transportation Workforce, held June 2–4 in Westminster, Colorado, convened representatives from transportation agencies, academia, and private industry—including CTS staff members—to identify ways to address these challenges.
During a breakout session discussing experiential education and apprenticeships, James De Sota, CTS’s director of program development and delivery, presented on the Minnesota Graduate Planning Co-Op Program. This proposed workforce development initiative is designed to support the planning profession by integrating paid, part-time employment with graduate education. Its goal is to create a debt-free, earn-while-you-learn pathway into planning careers for students from all communities.
“Unlike traditional co-ops that alternate between academic and work semesters, this model would embed consistent, part-time employment throughout the two-year master’s program,” De Sota explained. “Each student would be matched with a single employer for the duration of their studies, ensuring continuity, mentorship, and real-world skill development.” The program concept was developed by graduate students in the U of M’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Professor Nichola Lowe, director of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program.
In addition to the practical applications that were shared at the summit, De Sota said it was helpful to network with others from across the country who are “wrestling with the same challenges in recruiting, retaining, and training the current transportation workforce and the workforce of tomorrow.” And the students he spoke with attested to the difficult employment market for recent grads. “Those who have extensive, relevant work experience with an employer are far more likely to find a position after graduation,” he said.
Katherine Stanley, CTS senior manager of training and technical assistance, presented “Expanding the Transportation Workforce: Resources for Local Agencies” at a poster session. “Workforce issues are so important and complex. There need to be safe spaces for meaningful conversations to take place and change makers to convene. This summit was just that place,” Stanley said. “I hope the new connections will help make the hard work back at home more successful.”
