What’s new with TAC’s Workforce Development Council

This is one in a series of articles profiling the online meetings of TAC’s six councils and their committees that occurred in April 2023.

TAC’s Workforce Development Council welcomed 17 attendees to its spring meeting on April 6.

Guest presentation

The Council received a presentation from Muktha Tumkur, Executive Director of Technology Accreditation Canada, an organization that offers accreditation services to post-secondary programs that educate technicians and technologists, including those related to transportation.

Task Force on Developing Highly Qualified Personnel

The Council heard an update from the Task Force’s Chair, Carl Clayton, on its activities and preliminary directions. The Task Force is the Council’s response to TAC’s 2022 publication of Developing Highly Qualified Personnel for an Era of Connected and Automated Vehicles. It will report back to the Council this fall with suggested priority actions for TAC’s Board of Directors, Secretariat staff, and volunteer councils and committees.

Committee updates

The Workforce Development Council received updates from its three committees.

The Education Committee meeting on April 4 attracted 15 attendees. They discussed similarities and differences in the ways that geometric design is taught to students and practitioners, and heard an update from the Task Force on Developing Highly Qualified Personnel. Meeting participants also held a “teaching and learning spotlight” with presentations by Professor Xiomara Sanchez-Castillo and student Barry Riordan from the University of New Brunswick.

The Human Resources Committee meeting on April 3 involved nine participants who heard a presentation by Heather Evoy and Regan Senthamilselvan of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation on its job shadowing program, as well as an update from the Task Force on Developing Highly Qualified Personnel. The committee also discussed an upcoming survey of TAC member organizations on challenges and strategies related to employee recruitment and retention. It continues to seek new members, especially human resources practitioners from TAC member organizations who are interested in sharing information and discussing best practices.

The Professional Development Committee meeting on April 5 attracted 29 participants. A highlight was a presentation by Professor David Dunning, University of Michigan, on the Dunning-Kruger effect – a cognitive bias that leads people to overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area. Attendees discussed ideas for getting more young professionals involved in TAC committees and heard an update from the Task Force on Developing Highly Qualified Personnel. To help direct the committee’s efforts, volunteers are developing a survey of TAC member organizations on professional development challenges and strategies.

Workforce Development Council Executive volunteers

• Chair – Sean Nix (Sheridan College)
• Vice-Chair – Brittney Speed (British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
• Chair, Education Committee – Jon Regehr (University of Manitoba)
• Chair, Human Resources Committee – Heather Evoy (Ontario Ministry of Transportation)
• Chair, Professional Development Committee – Janelle Warren (Catalis)
• Past Chair – Jean-François Gysel (Cogytum)
• Board Liaison – Patrick Puccini (AECOM Canada)