The demand for roadway industry jobs is enormous and will continue growing, Karen Bobo, director of the Center for Transportation Workforce Development at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), said at today’s Workforce Development Open Forum.

The “critical task” is developing a qualified workforce, she told the group attending the Open Forum held as part of ATSSA’s 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo. The question for everyone was how to achieve that.

She said it’s essential to identify emerging skills and training that will be needed and finding effective ways to attract employees who will want to invest in the industry.

Every company seeks to recruit and retain the most talented personnel but how to do it takes insights and skill.

Join the Workforce Development Open Forum on Wednesday (Feb. 10) for a live discussion from 10 a.m. to noon EST about developing a new model for success that identifies, trains and places individuals for jobs in the roadway safety infrastructure industry.

Learn from seasoned personnel from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and bring your ideas and questions.

The Workforce Development Open Forum is included in full registration for ATSSA’s 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo being held online through Feb. 18.

ATSSA’s Annual Report for 2020 is now available online. This year’s theme is “A Year of Transitions” and lays out the many achievements that took place across the Association in a historic year.

The report opens with a letter from President & CEO Stacy Tetschner who arrived at ATSSA just before the global pandemic forced staff to begin working from home.

The Association kicked off 2020 with a 50^th anniversary celebration at its Annual Convention & Traffic Expo held in New Orleans. There members said their farewells to President & CEO Roger Wentz who retired after 22 years.

Training and technology were identified as two important areas to address during this morning’s Roadway Worker Protection Summit, the kick-off event of ATSSA’s 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo.

“Training is absolutely critical,” said Kathi Holst, a four-decade member of the industry, an ATSSA board member and president & CEO of RCMS in Naperville, Ill. “If we aren’t providing training … we are negligent.”

Holst was one of four panelists for the Summit, which addressed both prevention of work zone incidents and resources for use if the worst happens and an employee gets killed on the job. ATSSA Vice President of Education & Technical Services Donna Clark and ATSS Foundation Chair Dave Krahulec moderated the discussion, which also included Doug Dolinar, who is president of Guidemark Inc. of Souderton, Pa., and also an ATSSA board member.

ATSSA’s 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo begins today, launching with a Roadway Worker Protection Summit at 10 a.m. EST that includes a panel discussion about ways to protect employees and what to do if tragedy strikes.

Hear from people who have walked that tough journey and bring your own ideas to share.

It’s not too late to register for everything this two-week, online event has to offer including MUTCD chats, nearly 50 education sessions, multiple networking events, industry panels, a government advocacy event and national awards. This event provides a unique opportunity to make vital connections with members of the roadway safety industry.