General goals
In a full partnership with the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), SWTWC coordinated a summit for industry leaders to engage transportation stakeholders about the impact of new green technologies and new intelligent transportation systems on the transportation workforce.
Duration
Status: Ongoing
Anticipated Partnership Duration: 2016 – Center lifetime
Timeline and Overview
In 2016, SWTWC Director Thomas O’Brien and Associate Director Tyler Reeb participated in the Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. At the meeting, Reeb and O’Brien presented the Center’s labor analyses which identified priority occupations in transportation by region for the next decade. During their time in D.C., O’Brien and Reeb met with a representative from the Mineta Transportation Institute, housed at San Jose State University, and both parties agreed to increase awareness regarding transportation workforce issues.
In a collaborating partnership, the centers agreed to cohost a summit titled “Faster, Smarter, Cleaner, Greener: Developing the Transportation Workforce of the Future” in April 2016. The purpose of the summit was to highlight key workforce issues, including the impact of new technologies on the transportation workforce.
In March, O’Brien and Reeb coordinated the final panel discussion titled “Creating the 21st Century Transportation Workforce,” and took an active role in promoting the free summit to various stakeholder groups; e.g. industry, research, and education. O’Brien acted as the moderator for the panel, and speakers included:
- Tim Rainey, Executive Director, California Workforce Investment Board;
- Oliver Baines, President, Fresno City Council;
- Afshin Pishevar, Chief Legal Officer, Hyperloop Technologies;
- Ed Reiskin, Director of Transportation, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency;
- Kristin Decas, CEO and Port Director, Port of Hueneme, California;
- Carol Kuester, Director, Electronic Payments, Metropolitan Transportation Commission;
- Jim Misener, Director of Technical Standards, Qualcomm Technologies Inc.; and
- Mark Novak, Dean, Extended University Division, CSU Bakersfield.
The panel was developed from SWTWC’s ITS Peer Exchange (listed cooperating partnership on page 9), and included some of the same organizations; including Hyperloop One and Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
Key Deliverables
- Summit titled: Faster, Smarter, Cleaner, Greener: Developing the Transportation Workforce of the Future held on April 29, 2016 at San Jose State, University which was free for all participants
- SWTWC Center Director Thomas O’Brien served as Moderator
- Panel discussion titled “Creating the 21st Century Transportation Workforce”
Anticipated Outcomes
The summit emphasized how increased levels of outreach and training can be extended both to new students and existing workers within the industry; this will increase awareness of workplace issues relating to interconnectivity, next-generation technologies, and their impact and feasibility upon the development of a high-speed rail line in California.
SWTWC will utilize the successful aspects of this summit, and use it as a template for future partnerships to host transportation workforce summits, workshops, and meetings.
Furthermore, SWTWC developed stronger bonds with the CA Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Tim Rainey and Fresno City Council President Oliver Baineswill, and expect there will be more opportunities to partner with a range of different leaders through these contacts.
Contribution Analysis
- SWTWC cohosted the summit with MTI
- SWTWC took the lead in promoting the summit with all of the Center’s partners
- SWTWC coordinated speakers for the panel discussion which included representatives from the following organizations:
- Hyperloop One;
- Port of Hueneme, California;
- Metropolitan Transportation Commission; and
- Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
Documentation
Commonwealth Club. (2016). “Developing the transportation workforce of the future.” [YouTube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns1pthTayRM.
Metrans News. (2016). “SWTWC workforce summit addresses critical advanced transportation issues.” Retrieved from https://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/MET%20NEWSL_SUMMER%202016_web.pdf.
The Common Wealth Club. (2016). “Faster, smarter, cleaner, greener: Developing the transportation workforce of the future.” Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2016-04-29/faster-smarter-cleaner-greener-developing-transportation-workforce-future.