Employers | Statewide Workforce Development

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road construction machine The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has implemented a Statewide Workforce Development Program to work with community partners to identify and connect qualiﬁed workers with contractors for gainful employment on roadway construction projects. We’re also identifying entry-level workers to ﬁll contractor labor needs throughout the state.

The goal? To provide jobseekers with opportunities in road and bridge construction that put them on the path to successful careers that help improve lives. We’re also working to help contractors address the labor shortages in our high-demand industry.

Florida’s Statewide Workforce Development program beneﬁts employers, jobseekers and local communities by:

Providing direct economic beneﬁts in communities where FDOT is building projects
Building relationships with regional and local community and business groups
Developing paths to career opportunities for future construction workers
Addressing the construction labor shortage by recruiting and building a pipeline of skilled workers

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Participating Contractors:

We’re employing current and developing activities to connect adult jobseekers with contractors that are hiring, as well as initiatives that inform students about pathways to transportation industry careers:

Adult-targeted Activities:

Group Recruitment, Training and Hiring
Contractors Job-Readiness Hiring and Training
Correctional Transition Academy – Fast Track Initiative
OnBoard4Jobs Construction Careers

Student-targeted Activities:

Florida Construction Career Days Participation
Student Construction Internship
Student Construction Career Academy

Group Recruitment, Training and Hiring

Here’s how the recruiting and training program works:

training program flow chart

trainee graduation

To participate in any of the various program components, complete the contractor enrollment form.

Contractors Job-Readiness Hiring and Training:

FDOT’s Statewide Workforce Development Program is trying to help contractors to train road construction workers for employment. Under the Contractors Job-Readiness Hiring and Training Initiative, contractors will receive reimbursement for recruiting, hiring, drug testing and training new employees to work on FDOT construction projects.

Contractors Job-Readiness Hiring and Training

Contractors wishing to participate in this initiative will:

Enter into an agreement for job-readiness training with HNTB Corporation, who is serving as a program consultant. View agreement.
Contractors may directly recruit candidates for the program, or collaborate with FDOT which will coordinate with Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, CareerSource Florida, local CareerSource offices and other partner agencies to identify and recruit workers.
Submit candidates to FDOT to initiate and approve your firm’s participation in the program. Contractors should submit the attached proposal form to Darcy Foster (dafoster@hntb.com) for FDOT consideration and approval.
Administer a drug test for each recruit that is considered for hiring under this program.
Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) (hard hats, eye protection, safety vest, steel toed boots, etc.) to each employee that is hired under this program.
Provide 160 hours of job-readiness training to each employee under this program. Contractors can fill any construction needs with this program.
Hire and serve as employer of record for all employees trained and hired under this program. Hiring of the employees prior to job-readiness training will be required for the contractors to receive the reimbursement associated with this program.

Participating contractors will be reimbursed for a total of 160 hours of job-readiness training. Employees must be working on active FDOT projects for the contractors to be accepted and participate in this program.

For more information on this initiative, contact Darcy Foster of HNTB at dafoster@HNTB.com.

Correctional Transition Academy

FDOT is partnering with the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) to present the Statewide Workforce Development Correctional Transition Academy.

road construction workers Enhancing the abilities of inmates and offenders so they become productive members of their communities after serving their sentence is a large part of the Correction Department’s mission. The academy will support the Corrections Department’s focus on inmate rehabilitation and successful re-entry into their communities.

The Correctional Transition Academy will:

Identify adults ready to enter the workforce
Connect transitional candidates with contractors through OnBoard4Jobs Construction Careers Consultants
Develop a road-construction-focused curriculum for use by all program training staff
Work with the FDC Transition Team, OnBoard4Jobs Construction Careers and contractors to employ candidates

Fast Track Initiative

As an interim component of the Correctional Transition Academy, program staff working on the Fast Track Initiative will funnel contractor hiring needs to the Florida Department of Corrections. Corrections staff will provide a list of transitional candidates who are about to be released back into the community for hiring consideration to program staff. Once the inmates are released, program staff will connect them with the contractors who are hiring.

training class

OnBoard4Jobs Construction Careers

OnBoard4Jobs Construction Careers is one of the Statewide Workforce Development programs that helps jobseekers gain employment with local contractors on road and bridge construction projects. Managed by FDOT’s Equal Opportunity Office and funded through the Federal Highway Administration, the program includes hiring workers for On-the-Job Training opportunities.

The program focuses on recruiting a construction workforce, while also increasing the number of minorities, women and veterans on federal and state-funded road and bridge construction contracts. The program provides opportunities to unemployed adults, as well as graduating high school seniors, to secure jobs with leading road construction contractors.

To learn more about this program, visit www.OnBoard4Jobs.com.

To participate in any of the various employer programs, complete a contractor enrollment form.

Student and Young Adult Programs

Florida’s Statewide Workforce Development Program is providing a host of opportunities for students and young adults to learn about what it takes to build Florida’s highways – and to explore careers in the transportation industry.

Student Construction Internships

student in class FDOT is making it easier for contractors to find quality, summer interns. The Student Construction Internship program matches students and young adults – ages 16-24 years old – with leading industry contractors for a paid work experience.

Contractors will determine the job opportunities. The program will facilitate the connection with students and young adults for contractors to select the best candidates.

The program will pay students to work at least 24 hours a week for local contractors. The students will get real-world, work experience and learn the skills and activities that go into building Florida’s roadways. Contractors get eager young workers – at no cost – to support entry-level work needs. Firms also get an extended interview experience with a potential, future full-time hire.

Student Construction Career Academy

The Student Construction Career Academy is an immersive experience for Florida high-school and technical-school students to learn about the paths to possible careers in road and bridge construction. During the academy, contractors will use an interactive approach to teach students about industry opportunities, practices, operations and diverse trades and craft skills.

Florida Construction Career Days Participation

FDOT’s Statewide Workforce Development Program works with partners each year to participate in Florida Construction Career Days (CCD) events. These large-scale events give students around the state a sneak-peek into possible future careers in the road building industry. The success of CCD events rests heavily on the participation of contractors and other industry members.

Learn more about student opportunities.

worker with plans