Two decades ago the Transportation Research Board and National Academies produced lengthy reports recommending the preparation and training of a workforce to support an efficient transportation system. Today, with new challenges such as quickly changing technologies and environmental sustainability, the need for transportation workforce development is more pressing than ever. This need requires a holist approach, beginning with the exposure and education of pre-college students. The objective of the Summer Youth Transportation Program will be to provide high school students, including but not limited to young minorities, women, and disadvantaged individuals, an awareness of careers in the transportation industry to encourage them to pursue a vocation in transportation. The project leads will review programs sponsored by the FHWA National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI), develop a complementary course structure, prepare course materials, and make all necessary preparations, including outreach to prospective students, to teach the course at both the UW and WSU over summer 2023.
Principal Investigators:
Yinhai Wang, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW
Jia Li, Civil and Environmental Engineering, WSU
Sponsor: WSDOT
WSDOT Technical Contacts:
Pam Vasudeva
Jackie Bayne
WSDOT Project Manager: Doug Brodin
Scheduled completion: December 2023