Rhode Island Department of Transportation

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Rhode Island Departmentof Transportation
TRAC/RIDES Program Promoting Pathways for
Transportation and Civil Engineering Careers in
Rhode Island
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The Program

• TRAC RIDES, AASHTOs educational outreach
  programs are designed for use in Science,
  Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
• TRAC RIDES Vision To deliver educational
  outreach programs that connects students to the
  world of transportation while enhancing math,
• science and technology skills.
• TRAC RIDES Mission To introduce students in
  grades K-12 to the working world of
  transportation, especially civil engineering and
  Inspire them to consider careers in those fields.

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The Program

• TRAC-Mission-Vision-Values
• In addition to providing a tool for teachers to
  improve math and science instruction in middle
  and secondary schools, TRAC improves workforce
  diversity which helps to resolve one of the most
  pressing problems faced by the transportation
  industry today a critical shortage of civil
  engineers
• Critical needs shortage of female and minority
  engineers.

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Program Implementation

• RIDOT TRAC/RIDES Program is aligned with other
  department diversity based career training
  initiatives.
• Construction Career Day, Engineering Career Day,
  Engineering Summer Program, OJT, Building Futures
  pre-apprenticeship training, RIDOT summer
  internship program.
• RIDOT OJT Program diversity based 98 female and
  minority.

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The Program

• Building Futures- ARRA State Transportation
  Employment Program (STEP) -350,000.
• Provides Pre-Apprenticeship training in an effort
  to increase OJT participation of underutilized
  woman and minorities on RIDOT Projects.
• Graduating seniors not attending college who
  have successfully a TRAC module can be referred
  to Building Futures for assessment and entry into
  the next class.

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Program Implementation

• RIDOT is currently entering into the second year
  of its TRAC/RIDES initiative.
• Identified the schools which provide the best fit
  demographically.
• Conducted extensive teacher training with the
  support of AASHTO providing industry
  professionals to support RIDOTs initiative in RI
  schools.

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Demographics

• RIDOTs TRAC/RIDES Program is currently serving
  6300 hundred students.
• 49 are minority
• 53 are female
• 58 receive free or reduced meals at school

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Funding

• RIDOT dedicates 100,000 annually to provide
  training and purchase supplies for teachers and
  schools.
• Funding source FHWA

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Implementation of the Program
Challenges

• Schools lack funding for curriculum and supplies.
• Rhode Island has 39 separate school districts.
  Each having their own Superintendent and
  school committee.
• Every school at the elementary, middle and high
  school level has their own principal.

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Questions? Paul Sylvia Paul.Sylvia_at_dot.ri.gov 40
1-222-3260 ext. 4513