Chicago Construction News staff writer
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $4.2 million in grants under the Highway Construction Training Program for 16 programs to recruit, train, and place highway construction jobs.
Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Highway Construction Training Program funds activities to train and employ nearly 1,100 jobs across the country.
These new programs include training for heavy duty equipment operators, scholarships for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and programs to obtain a commercial driver’s license. These programs support DOT’s priorities to promote jobs for women, veterans and people with disabilities. These programs also include outreach to help hire people who were previously incarcerated, underemployed, or have dropped out of the workforce.
Projects awarded funding include $288,000 for the Illinois Department of Transportation to expand the existing Illinois Highway Construction Careers Training Program, which is currently offered by 10 community colleges in the state. Participants are trained in highway construction-related skills, including mathematics, job site readiness, carpentry, blueprint reading orientation, and forklift operation among other skills.
The program will also be expanded to include a Materials Testing Program at South Suburban College in South Holland to recruit and train women, minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, and previously incarcerated individuals to become qualified highway construction professionals. Graduates will receive safety equipment and tools and assistance in applying for apprenticeships and positions with unions and highway contractors in the State.
The full list of awarded projects is available here.
“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure is tantamount to investing in our people. Today’s announcement helps us deliver on the promise of building America’s transportation system by investing in workforce training programs – from operating heavy equipment to obtaining a commercial driver’s license – to bolster the workforce that constructs our nation’s highways,” said Acting Federal Highway Deputy Administrator Gloria M. Shepherd. “FHWA is proud to support expanding opportunities in the transportation industry, especially for underrepresented groups like women who make up less than 15% of this industry.”
FHWA released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the HCTP in April 2024 and received 20 applications requesting over $5.7 million – oversubscribing the program by $1.5 million and indicating strong interest in creating and promoting workforce development programs across the nation. The HCWP Pilot and SWD programs demonstrated the importance of providing job training and placement and support services, such as childcare and transportation, to filling highway construction roles. You can view some of the success stories from the Strategic Workforce Development programs here.
The HCTP will continue to build on the lessons learned from the HCWP Pilot and SWD to develop valuable resources for workforce development, including case studies, peer exchange summaries, and webinars.
For more information about FHWA highway construction workforce programs, click this link.
