Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider today released the Illinois Department of Transportation’s first Human Capital Strategic Plan to help create and foster a skilled, knowledgeable workforce that can meet and fulfill the emerging needs in transportation. The secretary kicked off the plan’s release by hosting a roundtable with more than 20 industry leaders in Chicago to begin building a 21st century workforce that supports the state’s multi-modal transportation system.

“Transportation drives economic development. As the country’s freight hub, we are in an enviable position in Illinois to take advantage of the opportunities to compete in today’s global economy,” Secretary Schneider said. “Both the public and private sectors are in agreement that we need to be doing everything we can to meet the workforce demands of our constantly changing industry. This Human Capital Strategic Plan will serve to build a common foundation on which we can work together to transform transportation for tomorrow.”

Jobs in the transportation sector are projected to grow 23 percent by 2040, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But almost two out of three industry CEOs in surveys indicated they are worried they won’t have the workers they need to meet those goals due to retirements and a shortage of training opportunities.

The Human Capital Strategic Plan aims to address the “skills gap” by establishing a framework for IDOT and its industry partners to identify workforce trends, maximize existing resources, and develop solutions to attract new and diverse staff.

To view the plan, visit www.dot.state.il.us/opp/planning.html.