Aligning Skills to Needs

DOTs need people with new and different skills than previously required. Currently there is a mismatch between the skills that are needed and those available in the current workforce. Both hard and soft skills are necessary to handle the changes in technology and the shift from capital intensive work to a more operations focus.

Potential hard skills that DOTs should look for in candidates include: project, contract, and vendor management; systems engineering; data analytics and data management skills; and an understanding of federal rules and regulations. Soft skills include: collaboration; communication, including cross-generational and cross-cultural communication; adaptability; and good interpersonal skills. General leadership and management skills are keys to combating “initiative fatigue” and managing the increasingly diverse workforce.