Development of a Project Management Certification Plan for a DOT

Abstract

Federal and local legislation and limited resources are driving DOTs to seek improved project management skills for their employees. Numerous DOTs are currently working to establish employee development programs or organization-specific guidance related to project management. In today’s competitive and rapidly evolving business environment, many organizations are relying on skills-based certifications to assess, differentiate, and endorse the competency of employees. A question, therefore, facing DOTs seeking to establish project management employee development programs is whether or not to require formal certification(s) as part of the training process. Certification provides both benefits and challenges, particularly for DOTs with distinct regional and headquarters systems and highly varied job duties across the design, construction, and maintenance phases of project delivery. This research summarizes recommendations regarding certification from an external team charged with developing a custom project management employee development program for a DOT and also summarizes the input and feedback from DOT employees. The contribution is to highlight critical issues, potential pitfalls, and opportunities for certification related to project management training at state DOTs.