EDC Virtual Summit offered ideas to further workforce development efforts

ATSSA staff took part in the recent Every Day Counts (EDC) Virtual Summit, coming away with ideas to enhance workforce development efforts.

EDC is the state-based model that identifies and rapidly deploys proven innovations in transportation. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program aims to shorten the project delivery process, enhance roadway safety, reduce traffic congestion and integrate automation.

The recent EDC Virtual Summit highlighted programs being employed by local transportation agencies and departments of transportation (DOTs). Its intent was to engage and stakeholders in day-to-day operations of the business of transportation.

The summit’s main focus was to make attendees aware of innovative techniques state and local DOTs are deploying to engage stakeholders.

“My biggest takeaways were the short 6-minute pitches by different states during the State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) live sessions. The pitches were created to promote engaging people, deploying products and improving processes, through their homegrown ideas,” ATSSA Director of Training Rameeza Shaikh said.

The Strategic Workforce Development session, for example, showcased the Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP), a program that EDC developed that brings together the highway industry and the workforce development community to identify, train and place individuals into transportation careers.

“This project is close to ATSSA’s own efforts for workforce development and we are continuing to partner with EDC in helping to meet resource needs to deliver highway construction jobs,” Shaikh said.

The EDC Virtual Summit ran Dec. 8-10 and focused on the sixth and latest round of transportation innovations for 2021-22:

• Crowdsourcing for Advancing Operations
• e-Ticketing and Digital As-Builts
• Next-Generation TIM: Integrating Technology, Data and Training
• Strategic Workforce Development
• Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)
• UHPC for Bridge Preservation and Repair
• Virtual Public Involvement (VPI).

EDC has advanced greater efficiency at the state and local levels, saving time, money and resources that can be used to deliver more projects. Since the inception of EDC in 2010, each state has used 19 or more of the 52 innovations promoted through EDC. Many of these innovations have become mainstream practices across the country.

The simple format of the virtual conference made it easier to understand and navigate the topics, said Donna Clark, ATSSA vice president of Education and Technical Services.

“The content was very timely and showcased the best being offered by states in stakeholder engagement, products offered and processes with real solutions,” Clark said.