Members of the Urban Corps of San Diego County work on a sidewalk construction project. Photo: Urban Corps of San Diego County
Demand for qualified highway construction workers across the nation continues to rise, but the lack of an available workforce to help maintain safe roadways remains. One reason for this shortage may be a lack of interest among young people in pursuing construction jobs due to a misconception that they do not provide long-term, high-paying career potential or benefits.
In an effort to share the opportunities that exist in the highway construction industry with students and youth across the country, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is teaming up with Youth Service and Conservation Corps (Corps). The Corps Network represents more than 150 Youth Service and Conservation Corps organizations nationwide. Corps organizations engage individuals ages 16 to 25 in service projects that offer work experience, basic and life skills, education, training, and support services. Projects are conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and include trail work, restoration, visitor amenities, hydrology, silviculture, recreation, campground management, fuels reduction work, marketing communications, and activities related to range, fire, recreation, wilderness, and wildlife management.
A crew member, crew leaders, and field logistic technician work together to level a board walk before installing it. Photo: Utah Conservation Corps
Christopher Douwes is a community planner for the FHWA Office of Human Environment who manages contracts and cooperative agreements for trail-related research, technology development, technical assistance, and training. He facilitates the development of publications, trail resources, and transportation resources and contributes to national conferences and workshops relating to trails and non-motorized transportation. FHWA has a long history of involvement with the Corps, and Douwes says that bicycle and pedestrian, trail, and transportation alternatives projects offer excellent training and preparation for highway construction jobs.
“A shared-use path is a mini-highway—and we can build on the skills taught in the Corps,” says Douwes. “We need to
increase the highway construction workforce, and the Corps can get us there.”
Gaining valuable experience with meaningful impact
Douwes says that both serving in the Corps and working in the highway construction industry offer a sense of fulfillment not always found in other activities or careers.
“When you work on a trail or complete a construction project, you can see the finished project,” says Douwes. “You can get a lot of satisfaction out of saying ‘I helped to do that’ or ‘I built that bridge.’”
Lauren Edwards-Johnson is a program manager for The Corps Network. She says that Corps service projects also allow participants to learn about something fun and meaningful that can sustain a good life for them and their families. According to Edwards-Johnson, California has instituted additional support to help Corps participants find a pathway to seasonal and permanent employment.
“Each year, California awards its districts with specific funding for a navigator program, and they’ve had tremendous success,” she says. “Navigators help Corps members get trained and mentored on projects. They also help participants apply for and get placed into jobs that have been specifically set aside.”
Recruiting a diverse workforce for the future
According to Danielle Owen, director of government relations for The Corps Network, there is a general lack of awareness among today’s youth about the career pathways that exist within Corps programs.
“FHWA and the Corps do a good job with workforce development,” says Owen. “These programs can help broaden the horizon for our youth.”
Members of the Northwest Youth Corps work on a local project. Photo by: Northwest Youth Corps
To create a more inclusive environment, Edwards-Johnson says the Corps is working to increase diversity and offer meaningful, impactful work to all participants.
“The opportunities are there,” says Edwards-Johnson. “We are trying to generate interest in our work by bringing shared experiences to communities that have been historically marginalized. We’re aiming to pull in populations of young people who might not have considered this industry.”
Douwes says continued collaboration between FHWA and the Corps will be a win-win situation for training students and youth, and for providing a highway construction workforce that will help move the Nation forward.
“The opportunities are there,” says Edwards-Johnson. “We are trying to generate interest in our work by bringing shared experiences to communities that have been historically marginalized. We’re aiming to pull in populations of young people who might not have considered this industry.”
Douwes says continued collaboration between FHWA and the Corps will be a win-win situation for training students and youth, and for providing a highway construction workforce that will help move the Nation forward.
“I want to see this partnership grow so all of the well-trained youth who serve in the Corps can become part of our future highway construction workforce,” says Douwes.
Learn more. To get information about how your state can recruit students and youth into Corps programs that can launch future highway construction careers, see Youth Workforce Development Resources (bit.ly/3N4KPob), the Corps Network’s Trails and Transportation (bit.ly/3P3DhU7) initiative, or contact Christopher Douwes at Christopher.Douwes@dot.gov.
To learn about how you can identify, train, and place qualified individuals into highway construction jobs, contact Chrisy Currier at Christina.Currier@dot.gov.