Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council Formed

Last Updated 11-13-01

An organization, known as the Transportation Curriculum Coordination
Council, has been formed to prioritize and coordinate training
development initiatives for the transportation industry in order to
better focus efforts and resources nationally. The Federal Highway
Administration's Office of Asset Management provided the impetus. The
WAQTC along with other regional groups, AASHTO, industry partners, NHI,
and FHWA contributors comprise membership.

In recent years five regional organizations were formed in various parts
of the country to concentrate on training and qualifying personnel
involved in highway construction activities. Hurdles and common goals
included: addressing the requirements of Federal Regulation CFR 637 --
Quality Assurance Procedures for Construction, technician reciprocity,
uniformity in procedures, qualifying personnel, resource sharing, and
information sharing. Industry, which held many of the same interests,
became partners in these efforts. While these achievements were both
admirable and effective they also resulted in duplication of training
development and inefficiencies in the usage of scarce resources. In
order to better concentrate resources and efforts on the future training
needs of personnel in this industry a national focus was needed. Each
regional group, industry, and other key participants were asked to meet
to discuss goals and challenges and how they could best be addressed
together.

In September 2000 these representatives met in St. Louis, MO and again
in June 2001 in Williamsburg, VA. The attendees embraced the value of
working together in the development and prioritization of future
training in the transportation field. Needs were identified and
prioritized and the group committed to a continued effort. Some of the
top priorities, either under development or forthcoming, included a QA
Technologist course, Geotechnical Inspection, HMA Inspection as well as
other construction inspection courses, Project Administration/Resident
Engineer training, and profiler training. In addition, a national
training web site, to list courses and share information, was a high
priority. It was agreed that the courses or other materials developed or
adopted by this organization are intended as core instructional
materials of a quality that may be utilized nationally as qualification
or certification tools; however, organizations may use these materials
in the manner that best addresses their specific needs.

The commitment of this council to the betterment of our industry is
demonstrated in its mission statement:

**MISSION STATEMENT**

**OF THE**

**TRANSPORTATION CURRICULUM COORDINATION COUNCIL**

We, the members of the Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council,
commit to national leadership, coordination, and cooperation in the
development of a curriculum, in construction, materials, maintenance,
project management, and associated transportation disciplines, that is
designed to improve the skills and abilities of the participants.

To accomplish this we embrace the following objectives:

• Maximize resources through concerted efforts in the development of
training and qualification mediums

• Increase the skills and abilities of personnel in our fields of
interest

• Promote uniformity in training content and qualification requirements
to facilitate reciprocity between States and regions

• Share training and qualification materials and techniques with our
partners

• Maximize usage of AASHTO standards in training development

• Encourage development of and improvement to AASHTO standards through
our regional groups

• Remain open, sensitive, and responsive to the expressed needs and
voice of our partners

• Contribute equitably to assure success

It is important to note that this effort will reach its potential only
if it has the full backing and involvement of not only the membership of
this council but also of those they represent. Calls for assistance with
future initiatives will be extended. An equitable distribution of effort
in answer to these calls will maximize resources and outcomes.

**[Federal Highway Administration]{.underline}**

Howe Crockett, FHWA-WFL, Chair, Phone: 360-696-7750

John A. Perry, FHWA-HIAM, Phone: 202-366-2023

## National Highway Institute

Chris Newman, FHWA-NHI, Phone: 703-235-0524

**[Mid-Atlantic Region Technician Certification Program
(MARTCP)]{.underline}**

Woody Hood, MD-DOT, Phone: 410-321-4100

Vacant

**[New England Transportation Technician Certification Program
(NETTCP)]{.underline}**

Chris Bowker, MA-DOT, Phone: 781-837-2680

Bruce Yeaton, ME-DOT, Phone: 207-287-2171

**[Southeast Task Force on Technician Training and Certification
(SETFTTC)]{.underline}**

Tom Malerk, FL-DOT, Phone: 352-337-3170

Jack Cowsert, NC-DOT, Phone : 919-733-7088

**[North Central Multi-Regional Training and Certification Program
(M-Trac)]{.underline}**

Chris Anderson Phone: 515-239-1819

Catherine Betts, Phone: 651-297-7195

**[Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction
(WAQTC)]{.underline}**

Tom Baker Phone: 208-334-8439

Garth Newman Phone: 208-334-8039