Savannah, the Hostess City of the South, is soon to be teeming with transportation professionals as it hosts the 2019 Southeastern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Conference. Industry leaders will gather in this historic city to look toward the future of transportation and share innovative ways to keep pedestrians, motorists and freight moving.
Besides taking in the sights and sounds of Georgia’s first city, attendees will explore topics that affect engineers, planners and government agencies. From smart cars and technology to public involvement and improving the pedestrian experience, SASHTO will cover the trends that industry professionals are talking about.
One topic that has caught my attention affects the engineering profession internally: workplace culture and employee engagement. As a manager, I’ve seen first-hand that employees aren’t just looking for a job. They want a career that challenges and empowers them. SASHTO is hosting two sessions which aim to tackle these issues:
- Collaboration and Innovation Driving Continuous Improvement: “Make it Better”
- Designing a Road Map for Success – Workforce Planning for DOTs in Today’s Economy
Both sessions will discuss how to create an engaging, challenging workplace that enables the industry’s workforce. SASHTO will encourage attendees to cultivate a proactive culture, from maintaining a strategic recruitment planning to setting stimulating career paths. Mead & Hunt abides by a “people first” mentality. We invest in our employees to create a dynamic work environment. These sessions will provide the type of thought-providing advice that I believe is crucial to the transportation industry.
SASHTO offers my peers an opportunity to collaborate on past, present and future issues while adding value to transportation. I am excited to see how other firms and agencies are making this industry and its employees stronger.