Narrator: Just about every aspect of Michigan's transportation system has been affected
by rapid advancements in technology. In the last decade alone, that includes tech that's highly
visible, like digital signs that give drivers traffic and weather notifications in real time,
to behind the scenes improvements that make design, construction, maintenance, and inspection
practices safer and more efficient. These together help MDOT stay on the cutting edge
of transportation operations and management. But adapting to new and evolving technology isn't easy.
MDOT needs a tech-savvy workforce that is capable of understanding and maximizing the
technologies of today while also helping the agency navigate whatever comes next.
Elise Feldpausch: Transformational technologies are the future. They are coming. They are essentially going to change
the way in which we do business and challenge the ways that we consider ourselves as the DOT.
Narrator: to ensure MDOT can train existing workers and recruit new employees to meet its future needs,
the agency initiated a research project to identify which technologies on the horizon
have the potential to make the biggest impact on the agency, the skills that workers will need to
have, and strategies MDOT can use to bring the best people on board. Elise Feldpausch: What we did is identify
the fact that transformational technologies are going to impact the way in which we do
business: to really reflect the way of the future, to really look at all of the various opportunities
for new types of technology, new types of ideas and ways of thinking, to be able to ultimately make our
program as successful as possible and recognizing that need from all levels of the department,
whether it be from the recruiting side to the training of existing employees side, so the full
gamut of the organization. Narrator: Working with a team of researchers, MDOT identified and focused on
emerging technologies in five areas: mobile robotics, advanced traffic management systems,
data analytics, mechanistic-empirical design and engineering, and complete streets design
with context-sensitive solutions. Next, to develop a staffing plan to meet demand, MDOT conducted a
self-assessment of its organizational structure and goals for the future, as well as academic and
training programs that exist in Michigan. Notably, the results showed that while technical expertise
will continue to be valuable at MDOT, workers with soft skills like good communications
and open-mindedness will be just as important for helping MDOT adapt to the new technologies.
Elise Feldpausch: Obviously, as a department of transportation, we, you know, our bread and butter is the
transportation engineer and those that are working in that field and as we look toward
the avenues for transformational technologies, we really start to see that it's not only limited to
transportation engineers. You start seeing the need to find individuals that consider things
differently, whether it be electrical engineers or mechanical engineers or operational engineers, and
looking toward those practices and the ways in which those individuals think they can really be
a boon to our organization. So that's very much a challenge to the way in which our organization
is kind of uniquely established and really trying to make a change kind of from the ground up with
the types of individuals that we do employ. Narrator: With new strategies for recruiting and training skilled
workers, as well as fresh ideas for attracting a younger and more diversified workforce, MDOT
is better positioned to meet the technological challenges of the future. Elise Feldpausch: I think this is a very
exciting time to be a part of this organization. There is very much a recognition that the world is
changing and we need to change along with it, and the ways in which we do business need to change to
reflect that need. And it's a very exciting time to know that we can challenge the idea of the status
quo and what has to be, for what could potentially be, and look at the ways in which we can make that
a part of our tomorrow collectively. Narrator: For more information, please visit Michigan DOT's website.