1. Surfing the Silver Tsunami: Mentoring the Next Generation
#AMPO2017
Daniel Knickelbein, Governmental Affairs Manager
Anthea Thomas, Public Outreach Manager
Anthea
ADD LINKED IN INFO

2. The Broward MPO is located in sunny Southeast Florida
DANIEL
Where we’re from originally
The Broward MPO is located in Southeast Florida in the Fort Lauderdale Metropolitan area. We’re about 45 minutes north of a little city you may have heard of called “Miami”.

3. The Silver Tsunami is coming…
How can we actively engage the next generation?
How can we expose students to the world of transportation planning?
How can we interest students in thinking about long term planning and safety?
ANTHEA
The phenomenon known as the Silver Tsunami sees Baby Boomers retiring without fresh faces to replace them, and poses a serious threat to the future of the transportation industry.
How can we actively engage the next generation?
Going into our schools!
How can we expose students to the world of transportation planning?
By giving them a crash course in what MPOs do, by exposing them to concepts and thought processes that planners have to go through on a daily basis.
How can we interest students in thinking about long term planning and safety?
By Making it PERSONAL, case studies are in the neighborhoods and near schools of students the students. If they are personally invested, they will be more interested.

4. Motivating Factors for Outreach
Strengthening our connections with the community
DANIEL
Motivating Factors for Outreach
Why are we doing this?
Strengthening our connections with the community
Implementing our board’s vision for the agency
Increasing visibility in the community
Strengthening partnerships
Tackling silver tsunami issue
Helping make education curriculum more career-focused
Implementing our Board’s vision for the agency
Strengthening our relationships with our partnering agencies
Helping make education curriculum more career-focused

5. Career Days: Elementary Schools Students
Focus: expose students to Transportation Planning field
We’re starting to receive requests from schools rather than seek out the schools
ANTHEA
Transition:
-The Broward MPO recognized that a possible remedy is extensive outreach to students. We engage students of all grade levels; from elementary school students dreaming all the possibilities tomorrow can bring, to high school students positioning themselves to face the future and enter the workforce.
-Each component of our interaction with students has been tailored to expose students to the world of transportation planning on a level to which they can relate, and foster viable careers in transportation.
Career Days (Elementary Schools)
We’re starting to receive requests from schools rather than seek out the schools
Staff works with our Board Member who serves on the School Board to connect us with elementary schools
Career Days brings MPO staff into Broward Public Schools to spark interest in young minds about MPO origins and activities; inspiring them to consider transportation planning as a potential career path. This willingness to participate has set the MPO apart as a ‘go-to’ transportation agency for career day events at schools across the county.

6. Walk to School Day: Elementary School Students
Focus: Promote Pedestrian Safety
Annual Event
Paired our Board Members with MPO Staff members for the various events all over the county.
#BCPSWalk2School

7. TRAC & RIDES Training: Middle & High School Teachers
Focus: Provide teachers with hands-on resources for students in engineering related classes
MPO budgets to buy one hands on module for teachers who attend the training.
Worked with Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) staff at Broward Schools
ANTHEA
ADD AASHTO TRAC & RIDES Website
Teachers have more than 1 year working with students on average. LOOK UP STATISTIC
TRAC & RIDES Training: Middle & High School Teachers
Hold training at our office to interest teachers in hands on material
MPO budgets to buy one hands on module for teachers who attend the training.
Worked with STEM staff at Broward Schools PARTNERSHIP; use facility for trainings
Include MAGLEV PHOTO OR GIF
MAGLEV Video:
TRAC (Transportation and Civil Engineering) and RIDES (Roadways In Developing Elementary Students) Training, through our partnership with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Broward Schools, invites middle and high school Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) teachers to experience hands-on training with fun, educational modules that exercise skills needed for planning and engineering. In turn, the MPO purchases one module for the participating schools’ students for use in the upcoming school year.
#TRACandRIDES

8. Construction Career Days: High School Students
Focus: Expose students to Transportation Planning field
Annual Event
Work with local DOT district
Collect teacher information to send them scholarship & grant information
DANIEL
Construction Career Days: High School Students
Focus: Expose students to Transportation Planning field; represented at a construction events the beginning of the process
Annual event.
Work with local DOT district to strengthen partnership
Partnership with WTS, COMTO if staff deficient
Collect contact information of teachers to send them scholarship information for those pursuing transportation-related careers/education
Furthermore, our partnerships with other transportation agencies have provided additional opportunities for the Broward MPO team to connect with the future leaders of society today. Construction Career Days allows us to work with our implementing partners from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to increase awareness. Students who attend experience a ‘speed dating’ visit to learning labs for various aspects of the construction industry. The MPO’s learning lab features a quick, interactive session with StreetMix that highlights transportation planning as the beginning of the engineering and construction process.

9. Claim Your Future Showcase: High School Students
Focus: equipping our students for the workforce
Work with Broward Career, Technical, Adult, Community Education (CTACE) Department and local business interest alliance group.
Provided:
Interviewing advice
Gave out sample resumes and CVs
Shared non-verbal communication tips
ANTHEA
Claim Your Future Showcase: High School Students
Contact Gayle for photos (Did it, waiting to hear back) Photo there is a placeholder
Expose students to Transportation Planning field;
Work with Broward CTACE Department and local business interest alliance group.
Provided interviewing advice, shared sample resumes and non-verbal communication tips

10. Think Like A Planner: High School Students
This event provides each student with the opportunity to shadow transportation professionals and conduct their own short group presentations before elected officials.
DANIEL
Think Like A Planner: High School Students
Started as a charge from our Board Members to work on partnership and relationship with Broward Schools.
Worked with Broward Schools’ Career, Technical, Adult, Community Education (CTACE) department on rubric and program.
The Think Like A Planner Workshop series sends MPO staff into high schools.
We introduce students to transportation planning, hold an interactive session building complete streets (using StreetMix software) and those students then participate in a half-day workshop where they are immersed in a career environment at the Broward MPO office.
This event provides each student with the opportunity to shadow transportation professionals and conduct their own short group presentations before elected officials.
#ThinkLikeAPlanner

11. The hook for schools Group work Presentation skills
Project centered around Safety and Mobility
Collaterals to send home with students
Critical Thinking
Discussion on Problem Solving, etc.
ANTHEA
Useful Skills for Students- this will be the sell for schools
Group work
Presentation skills
Presenting to Board Members in a group setting
Use rubric to fill this in; include rubric
Letter to the students explain what MPO does (bring copies of collaterals)
Collaterals to send home with students
Critical Thinking
Discussion on Problem Solving, etc.
For instance, the Think Like A Planner Workshop series sends MPO staff into Broward’s high schools. We introduce students to transportation planning, hold an interactive session building Complete Streets (using StreetMix software) and those students then participate in a half-day workshop where they are immersed in a career environment at the Broward MPO office. Each event concludes with providing each student with the opportunity to shadow transportation professionals and conduct their own short group presentations before elected officials and industry professionals. To execute a program of this magnitude, MPO Staff developed a close working relationship with Broward County Public Schools’ Career, Technical, Adult, Community Education (CTACE) Department. This department has been charged with equipping their students with skills that link education and employment outcomes (LEEO). Together we worked with CTACE to develop rubrics, schedules and the program in its entirety. The CTACE department also supplies the MPO with LEEO schools to participate in the workshops and assists with coordination for this program. The outcome of these workshops is a win for the agency; increasing visibility in the community and raising awareness of the field of transportation planning.
#ThinkLikeAPlanner

12. Major Keys to Work With the Schools in Your Area
Do you have:
School Board Members?
Local Schools with Career Development Department?
Local Schools with Magnet Schools/ Science Technology Engineering and Math Departments?
ANTHEA
Work with the Schools in your area
-If you have a School Board Member on your Board, use them as a resource! Inside Man!
-Career Development Departments can serve as a great resource!
-Bargaining chip are major key. If you have one, use. Ex. CTACE uses our board room for their staff workshops;
-Magnet Schools/STEM in your constituency can serve as a good partner as well since they’re already focused on specialized, career-driven curriculums.
-Schools in EJ Communities can be great to reach out to as well.

13. Involve your Elected Officials
Board Members
Industry Professionals
Partnering agencies
Technical staff
Consultants
DANIEL
Involve your Elected Officials
Board Members
Industry Professionals, partnering agencies, consultants, technical staff
Involve the elected from the area where the school is located!
Rotate them in and out to get a diverse panel and to encourage your Board to engage the next generation as well. Build bridge.
Win for the elected because connect with future constituents. Voting soon

14. Fruits of Our Labor People start coming to you
Career day requests
Claim your future showcase
School board presentations
Advisory board meetings
Science days
They provide us with opportunities and we reciprocate.
ANTHEA
Fruits of our labor
People start coming to you (career day requests, claim your future showcase, school board presentations, advisory board, science days)
They provide us with opportunities and we reciprocate.
Events such as Career Days, Walk to School Day, Construction Career Days, TRAC and RIDES and Think Like A Planner Workshops are all tools utilized by the Broward MPO for outreach to the workforce of tomorrow.
Closeout: All initiatives mentioned focus on inspiring students of all ages to seek higher education and careers in transportation while raising awareness of who the MPO is and what the MPO does. Involvement of Board Members and agency partners are a major key in successful student outreach programs. Though the tide of retiring Baby Boomers is coming, the transportation industry has a choice to tread water or be prepared and empower our students to surf the wave of opportunities as they flood the workforce. Navigating the Silver Tsunami will not be simple, but quelling its effects is possible. Join us for an in-depth walk through of how the Broward MPO was able to leverage partnerships to create a robust outreach program despite the challenge of limited resources.

15. Contact Us Anthea Thomas Public Outreach Manager (954) 876-0034
@MPOAnthea
Daniel Knickelbein
Governmental Affairs Manager
(954)
@MPODanielK