§174 State human capital plans

Summary

The Secretary must encourage every State, within 18 months after this law is passed, to create a voluntary "human capital plan" for meeting short- and long-term workforce needs to deliver transportation and public infrastructure projects. The plan should, as much as possible, cover key items: major workforce trends and needs; the policies, strategies, and measures that will guide hiring and training; coordination with schools, industry, labor, and workforce groups; a workforce plan that lists current and future staffing needs and required skills; a management strategy tied to the State’s transportation goals; steps to keep leadership and knowledge flowing; ways to close critical skill gaps;, for public‑private projects, a description of workforce needs to meet State goals and ensure public value; a way to evaluate DOT human capital efforts; and how the plan will help meet the national performance management policy under section 150. The plan must include a 5-year forecast and be updated at least once every 5 years. A State may keep the human capital plan separate from or put it into the long-range statewide transportation plan under section 135, but neither the State nor the Secretary can be forced to combine them. Each State that makes a plan must post a user-friendly copy on its DOT website. States may also carry out other workforce planning not described here or not following these rules.