Partnering to Promote Workforce Development for the Transportation Profession

The objective of this multi-university/agency partnership among Prairie View A&M University, (PVAMU), Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and Texas A&M University (TAMU) is to produce high quality transportation professionals from underrepresented groups. This partnership strengthens the existing pipeline program (Federal Highway Administration sponsored Summer Transportation Institute (STI)) between local high schools and PVAMU by attracting bright young minds for summer experiences during their last two summers before graduation from high school. One program is the current STI and the second is a new program for returning STI participants called STI Scholars. The more challenging STI Scholars curriculum allows Scholars to mentor first-year STI participants, while gaining valuable real world experience by observing and participating in projects conducted by transportation professionals at TTI. Scholars are then encouraged to pursue an undergraduate degree in the existing four-year Civil Engineering program at PVAMU. As part of this project, an advisory board for STI consisting of school teachers and counselors was established to increase the outreach of these programs to schools. A database containing more than 1,000 school teachers and counselors at more than 150 schools across Texas was developed and used to communicate the news about the 2008 STI program. A database of past STI participants was updated and communication links were established. A MySpace web page was created for STI and current and past STI participants were invited to join and network with each other. The preparatory work to establish the STI Scholars program was completed as part of this grant and the first STI Scholars program was conducted in June, 2008 utilizing the funds from the continuing UTCM grant.