UNH to Lead Statewide Transportation Workforce Partnership

UNH will lead a new statewide partnership to strengthen New Hampshire's highway construction workforce and build a stronger pipeline of future transportation professionals. Led by UNH’s T2 Center and supported by a Federal Highway Administration grant, the New Hampshire Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (NH HCWP) will bring together employers, educators, workforce organizations, and public agencies to increase career awareness, expand workforce training, and connect job seekers with careers in highway construction and maintenance. 

Highway agencies and contractors across New Hampshire continue to face workforce shortages as demand for skilled workers exceeds the available workforce. FHWA cites a national survey in which 89 percent of construction firms reported difficulty finding qualified workers, underscoring the need for coordinated workforce development efforts. 

“The transportation industry offers rewarding careers with competitive wages and opportunities for advancement, yet many people simply aren't aware of the pathways available,” says Sara Gates, workforce development program coordinator for the NH HCWP. “This partnership brings employers, educators, and workforce organizations together to create stronger pathways into these careers while helping employers build the workforce they need.” 

Preparing a Workforce

Guided by the Federal Highway Administration, the partnership will launch two signature workforce programs: 

• Transportation On-Ramp Job Readiness Program — A multi-week program introducing high school students to highway construction and maintenance careers through field experiences, safety training, and direct engagement with industry professionals. 
• Transportation Readiness Academy — An entry-level training program preparing adults for highway construction and maintenance careers through industry-recognized technical and safety training, workforce readiness, and employer connections. 

The partnership will work with schools, workforce organizations, and community partners to expand awareness of transportation careers and connect students, career changers, veterans, and other job seekers with employment opportunities across New Hampshire. Drawing on more than four decades of transportation workforce development experience and a statewide network of industry and education partners, the UNH T2 Center will coordinate the partnership and its workforce initiatives. 

Strengthening N.H.’s Infrastructure

“Modernizing our state's infrastructure starts with investing in the people who build it,” says New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Lucy Lange. “Having trusted institutions like UNH and the Community College System of New Hampshire aligned with industry needs ensures we can meet our critical highway construction workforce demands head-on. BEA looks forward to partnering on this initiative to drive sustainable economic growth across the Granite State.” 

“No single organization can solve workforce challenges alone,” says Marilee Enus, director of the UNH T2 Center. “This partnership creates an important opportunity to align education, workforce development, and industry around a shared goal: preparing the next generation of skilled professionals who will build, maintain, and strengthen New Hampshire's transportation infrastructure.” 

The T2 Center supports New Hampshire's highway agencies, contractors, consultants, and public works departments with training, technical assistance, tools and resources. As the home of the state’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and Highway Construction Workforce Partnership (HCWP), UNH T2 provides practical training, technical assistance, and resources to support local road networks- often a community’s most valuable public asset. UNH T2 also connects local highway teams with knowledgeable partners and peers to strengthen collaboration and support effective roadway maintenance.

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