Economic Opportunity: ITD and FHWA Support the Unspoken Essential Workers of Highway Construction during COVID-19

Idaho was sitting pretty. Having recently been named the fastest-growing state in the nation, the economy was thriving and the state boasted record-low unemployment (2.4% as compared to the national rate of 3.5%).

But that was before COVID-19.

With skyrocketing unemployment statewide, ITD and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are doing their part to support our own essential workers: the highway construction industry. Armed with steel-toed boots and hardhats instead of the stethoscopes and nitrile gloves of other essential workers, construction workers serving Idaho’s ever-constant demand for infrastructure development have hardly been phased by the nationwide pandemic.

ITD isn’t the first line of defense people look to for workforce development. However, the list of unique opportunities and services the Idaho Transportation Department provides to the public continues to grow longer. To increase skills and employability, and transition new workers to the Idaho heavy-highway construction industry, ITD’s Office of Civil Rights is providing a free training program for applicants to receive their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and a Level One Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) certification in early Fall 2020.

The training is open to everyone, and women, minorities, and veterans are highly encouraged to apply — no experience necessary. A career in heavy highway construction is fun, rewarding, and is more stable than ever. This training also makes a great resume addition for anyone wanting to join the ITD family as a TTA!

Applications and resumes will be accepted until July 10.

Why a CDL and HEO, specifically? The Office of Civil Rights worked in conjunction with the Idaho Department of Labor to develop the 2019 Idaho Highway Construction Skills Gap Report, which confirmed what many in the local construction industry assumed to be true: (1) a lack of applicants and (2) a prevalence of insufficient skills. This skill insufficiency ranges from weak ‘soft skills’ like troubleshooting and decision-making, to inexperience in desired skills like carpentry and cement masonry, to skills missing entirely (e.g. heavy equipment operation and truck driving).

The 2020 CDL-HEO program is this year’s iteration of FHWA's On-the-Job Training and Supportive Services (OJT-SS) program following Idaho’s participation in the Highway Construction Workforce Pilot in partnership with the Associated General Contractors.

With industry-recognized training standards, supportive services to help meet trainee needs (like providing Personal Protective Equipment [PPE]), and job placement to ensure successful career transitioning all included, the Office of Civil Rights’s 2020 CDL-HEO program will ensure a handful of qualified new workers truly understand ITD’s vision of economic opportunity: a new career as an essential worker on a Federal construction project building the highways and bridges that keep people safe and business moving.

For questions or to submit an application and resume, please contact:
Jasmine Platt, Contract Compliance Officer
Idaho Transportation Department, Office of Civil Rights
(208) 344-8152 or jasmine.platt@itd.idaho.gov

Published 06-19-20