Mentoring Program Strengthens Workforce
By Betty Mason, Contributing Author
Along with labor shortages, the growing loss of institutional knowledge continues to create challenges across the infrastructure sector. Recognizing a critical need and looking for step change, AtkinsRéalis developed mentoring program that aims to transform how the careers of construction professionals, namely inspectors and construction project managers, evolve.
Adopted by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Highway Construction Inspection, Inspector and Project Manager Program takes a strategic approach to workforce development. The initiative looks beyond classroom training and builds on interpersonal relationships that are essential to the construction space.
The approach is deliberate: encourage self-driven learning, provide targeted mentorship from experienced professionals (including retired GDOT professionals) and create opportunities for comprehensive skill development.
Now three years into the program, this initiative has become a powerful career development opportunity for many professionals and a dynamic knowledge transfer ecosystem that is reinvigorating the state’s transportation agency and its partners.
Self-Driven Proficiency
AtkinsRéalis developed the training program with a systematic approach that captured the expertise lost with the retirement of professionals, particularly in the fields of construction inspection and quality assurance.
To perform the job effectively, quality inspectors typically require years of experience in all facets of the construction environment, from earthwork and erosion control to bridge structures and cast-in-place walls. The development team recognized that, historically, inspectors can become pigeonholed into a specific proficiency, such as asphalt or earthwork.
The training program aimed to develop more well-rounded inspectors. The team designed a flexible mentoring approach built around the core learning philosophy of Thomas A. DeCoster, the former Executive Director of the American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials’ National Transportation Leadership Institute and professor emeritus from Indiana University. He taught that if you’re trying to get people to learn, lectures are not the only tool in the box.
The inspection mentoring program emphasizes self-driven learning supported by experienced professionals. It’s an active and collaborative learning approach where mentees take ownership of their training.
The program strives to develop quality inspectors by empowering these mentees to recognize their weaknesses and seek out the necessary advanced knowledge and training.
They are guided by mentors who are current and retired inspectors. Mentors are in turn provided with comprehensive guidance and resources to facilitate the development of their mentees.
Defined Goals
Through joint evaluations, up to 14 inspector mentees are selected each year from within GDOT, as well as AtkinsRéalis and its subconsultants. With guidance from mentors, these individuals are evaluated on day-to-day inspection activities on a jobsite, such as:
· Grading
· Subbase/Base
· Asphalt
· Concrete
· Cast In Place Walls
· Bridge
· Guardrail
· Erosion Control Items
· Pavement Markings
· Drainage Structures
· Project Erosion Control Inspections
· Project Traffic Control Inspections
· Labor Interviews/Payroll Inspection
· DBE CUF Inspections
· Manage Small Projects
· Site Manager Data Entry
· Microsoft Suite
· ProjectWise
· Internal/External Customers Coord.
The mentor works with the mentee to identify skill gaps and then, where possible, helps mentees gain experience as needed, while providing guidance and advice.
For instance, asphalt is one of the core topics that all highway inspectors should have experience with. At a high level, the mentee needs to have knowledge about pre-construction checks, surface prep, weather limitations as well as placing, finishing and compaction. With help from the program advisor, the mentor offers guidance on locating proper resources and opportunities for training to gain the needed asphalt experience, even if it's not related to the mentee's current job.
The overarching goal is to ensure that these individuals are well-rounded and comfortable working on any aspect of a project, including dealing with specialty contractors.
Mentees expand their knowledge and abilities by communicating with and relying on their mentor. By the time they've completed the program, the mentees have experience in 80% to 90% of the required work items.
Mentees ‘graduate’ once reaching proficiency levels in each inspection category as evaluated by the mentor. Notably, the proficiency evaluation designation requires four years of related experience, and completion of all required GDOT certifications.
The program has helped spotlight the ‘quieter’ professionals — those high-performing individuals who might have previously gone unnoticed.
The ongoing success of the inspector program subsequently led to the development of a similar, comprehensive professional development pathway for project managers.
Program Expansion
The project management workforce development piece of the program is slightly different than the inspectors program. It’s a one-year program with quarterly training events and meetings.
Each January, inspection personnel are selected and invited to participate. In March, the program begins with the Project Engineer's Academy, which covers all the fundamental work items essential to GDOT project management practitioners. While the program mimics the academy classes, information is presented within a roundtable discussion – again, like the inspector program, no lectures.
The program continues throughout the year with offerings that include discussions of real-life scenarios offered by subject matter experts in management of personnel, including:
- Mentoring Inspectors
- Managing Employees & Conflict Resolution
- CEI Quality Control & Quality Assurance
- In-depth Earthwork Quantities Calculations
Those leading the discussion share experiences, focusing on practical knowledge and diving deeper into topics that aren’t covered extensively in the academy. For instance, one topic of discussion might be earthwork calculations, including comparing volume reports to cross-sections, plan profiles and the applicability of shrink and swell factors.
These are all tasks that were historically completed by a designated earthwork coordinator but are now completed by the project manager. Other themes covered include conflict resolution and recognizing the five stages of project team development: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning.
The Roundtable Rewards
The 2024-2025 Highway Construction Inspection, Inspector and Project Manager Program currently has 14 inspectors and 11 project managers participating.
The value of the program is particularly evident in GDOT’s District 6. The district serves maintenance, construction, traffic operations and permitting needs of 17 counties in the Northwest Georgia region.
“The District 6 mentoring program has helped to enhance our sharing of knowledge and experience to bring along our less experienced staff quicker and more efficiently,” said Brian Whelchel, District Construction Manager within GDOT District 6. “The collaborative effort has improved our inspectors’ and project managers’ skills and helps ensure that we are being consistent in our documentation and procedures across the district.”
One of the recent graduates of the program, Harley Freeman, now a Senior Inspector 1 expressed gratitude for the experience.
“The best part about the mentoring program is the sharing of experiences and knowledge,” Freeman said.
The inspector and the project manager mentoring programs provide tangible measures of success, where progress is tracked, and gaps are closed. RB
Betty Mason is the mentoring program project director at AtkinsRéalis.