GROWING THE
TRUCKING
WORKFORCE IN
WISCONSIN
Partners
State Agency Partners – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) – Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) – Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Industry Partners
– Schneider National, Green Bay
– Roehl Transport, Marshfield – WEL Companies, De Pere – Truck Country, Appleton – Marten Transport, Mondovi
Wisconsin Transportation
Consortium
• Economic development tied to transportation
– Infrastructure, trained professionals, and industry capital investments
• Transportation jobs for people in Wisconsin
– 1 in 15 workers tied to “trucking,” $41,000 average salary, $6.6B annual payroll
• Transportation industry workforce needs: common challenges, equally unsuccessful results
– Lack of interested/qualified/trained workforce and spiraling cost of filling needs
Consortium – Original
Objectives and Goals
• Build public/private partnership through collaborative
efforts with WI based transportation employers and State agencies
• Initial focus was industry-led effort to source, train, and place WI residents in stable, well-paying transportation jobs
• Primary initiatives included:
– Integrated marketing effort to increase awareness of need and opportunities
– Building levels of training capacity in the state to meet the industry’s needs
– Identify and secure funding opportunities that help meet collective objectives
Mutual Needs – Jobs and Job
Creation
• WI Motor Carriers Association members started working together to fill vital industry workforce needs: CDL drivers and diesel technicians
– Marten Transport, Mondovi – Roehl Transport, Marshfield – Schneider National, Green Bay – Truck Country, Appleton
Common challenges and
opportunities
• Lack of interested, qualified, and trained CDL drivers and diesel techs, yet many in WI are out of work
• Shortages today will become more severe at a higher rate than other industries
– Aging transportation workers retiring and younger workers not backfilling them
– Increased regulatory requirements and liability exposure increasing standards
– Widening gap could limit economic expansion (manufacturing) in the state
• Collective efforts can yield better results for all
– Statewide marketing and recruiting actions
– Expansion of in-state training capacity for diesel techs and CDL drivers
– Fill transportation jobs, employ WI residents, optimize funding resources
WEDC Business & Industry
Development Division
Leveraging industry leadership to
accelerate growth and high quality jobs by advancing targeted, high impact initiatives
in Wisconsin.
Qualifying Investment Criteria
• Industry-Led
• High Job Creation • High Economic
Impact
• Sustainable • High Return
Collaboration
Trucking Consortium WEDC DWD WTCS • Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) • Technical Colleges • Department of Transportation (DOT) • National Guard • Veteran’s Services3 Goals
• Increasing awareness / visibility • Increasing training capacity
INCREASING
AWARENESS
Wisconsin Economic Development
Corporation
• Visibility
– Outreach to veterans
• Military CDL waivers formalization with Department of Transportation
– http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/apply/types/ cdl-military.htm
Department of Workforce
Development
• Web-page
– Trucking was first industry sector included on the Job Center of Wisconsin (JCW) Website – Initial focus: increase awareness of Diesel
Mechanic/Technician and CDL/Over-the-road truck driver career opportunities
DWD (Cont’d)
• Web-page (cont’d)
– Worked with Trucking Consortium to identify relevant industry reports/trends
– Incorporated current State and Federal labor market information pertinent to these careers – Increased awareness by having trucking
DWD (Cont’d)
• Email outreach
– Have done several rounds of email blasts to job seekers to raise awareness of career
opportunities
DWD (Cont’d)
• Next steps
– 1) Increasing the number of trucking firms participating in this website
– 2) Implementing the web-site as an entry portal to CDL training program
Web-site Hits
• Hits, 1/1/2012 – 12/31/2012:
16,545
• Hits, 1/1/2013 – 1/29/2013:
2,849
• Projected hits for 2013:
Supply
Diesel Technician
Programs
Truck Driving
Training Capacity
• Start of consortium
– Diesel Technician - 200 annually, however 100 graduate
– Truck Drivers-Class A CDL - 350 annually
• Today
– Diesel Technician - 250, TBD on the number of graduates
Projects
• Brainstorming sessions with
Deans/Faculty
• Meetings with industry to make
connections with colleges and to raise
awareness
• Made connections between industry and
career prep college staff
• Developed online hybrid curriculum for
several diesel courses
New Programs
• FVTC and CVTC have expanded diesel
program capacity
• FVTC has expanded truck driver training
capacity
• All colleges have or will offer a 4 week CDL
contract training program
• 1 College is exploring a Class A CDL program
• 2 Colleges are exploring or expressed interest
Challenges
• Program Cost
– Low instructor to student ratio in truck driver training
– Equipment and facility needs for both programs
• Attracting students to programs
• Time to develop skills-difficult to
REDUCING TRAINING
COSTS
High Cost of Training
• Potential Opportunities Identified
– CDL Training program – Funding avenues
– Existing Resources
• Financial aids from schools • Veterans Benefits
Key to Approach
• Industry-led
• Identification of commonalities
– Assists all companies
– “…take off your competitive hats and leave them at the door.”
– Understanding of the mutual interest of working together