Road Network Operations
& Intelligent Transport Systems
A guide for practitioners!

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Training Methods

A variety of training methods are available for transport professionals who wish to learn more about ITS – which make use of different training mediums. They include remote learning, training secondments, in-house training, internet-based mobile applications, social media, institutional knowledge exchange, and certificate programmes. Different training mediums suit different people.

Alternative media for building ITS capacity

Remote Learning

Internet learning opens up significant opportunities for people to acquire knowledge in ITS necessary for their new professional duties. On-line courses and training provide an opportunity to develop skills in ITS planning, development, implementation and maintenance. Institutions where ITS professionals are employed can make a worthwhile investment into building their ITS capacities using remote learning. An example is the Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE) in the USA which provides five types of interactive web-based courses – as outlined in the display box below.

On-line educational programmes may cover core subjects – such as knowledge of ITS-based operations. The depth and breadth of teaching vary according to the level of expertise required – from entry-level technicians to graduate-educated professionals and managers. At all levels, participants need to understand how to interact with their peers and co-workers at different levels – and the part that each plays in the wider system.

The Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE)

CITE is an organisation with members from universities and industries. It is focused on providing flexible, convenient, and comprehensive advanced transport training and education for its users in academia (faculty members and students) and industry (such as managers, planners, engineers and technicians). CITE offers five types of interactive web-based courses.

Independent Study

Independent study courses allow participating students to register and take any course whenever they choose – with no set time frame to start or complete the course.

Blended courses

Blended courses combine the features of instructor-led training and on-line instructional training. It includes live discussions with an instructor through conference calls, interaction with other students, convenient on-line course materials, and a specific time frame to complete the course.

Certificates

CITE has bundled its courses into topic areas to provide students with four different certificate programs: ITS Project Management, ITS Systems, Road Weather Management, and Traffic Engineering & Operations. Participants need to complete six courses within one year.

Full Semester Program

CITE has bundled several individual courses together to develop two full semester programs of study. They are offered in the fall and spring semesters just like a college/university course.

Courses in Spanish

CITE has converted several courses into Spanish in response to the increasing demand for ITS training from Latin-American professionals.

After successfully completing their CITE courses, participants receive Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) from the University of Maryland. With the approval of CITE’s university partners, these courses may count towards a specific college degree.

Secondments

Temporary assignments or secondments in the ITS industry can be a valuable way for people to acquire technical knowledge. For example, ITS engineers in a public agency needing communication experience may be assigned temporarily to a private company where they will work with professionals dealing with ITS communications.

In-House Training

Staff can be trained within their organisation – in-house – using hired instructors, ITS experts and other employees knowledgeable in ITS. Training programmes can be developed in-house or through an outside contractor. For example, an organisation could purchase a web-based training programme for its employees and develop an on-line or computerised training programme. This strategy may be cost-effective to train a number of professionals within an agency simultaneously – without having to leave the office.

Mobile Applications

Mobile applications offer new possibilities for professional capacity building in different areas – including ITS. One approach is to provide training that is similar to a computer game – developed to include an educational and training component. The application can develop various planning, engineering and policy scenarios – allowing users to learn using their computers or smart phones. ITS user manuals and guide books – including this World Road Association website – are also either available as, or can be reconfigured as, standalone user-friendly mobile applications providing easy access to professionals.

Social Media

Social media – such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – offer new tools for professional capacity building. ITS professionals can join an participate to take advantage of any learning opportunities on offer. LinkedIn-type services can be used to create regional, national, and global ITS groups who support each other in specific professional areas. For example, creating a support group on traffic simulation software provides a platform to share experiences on ITS projects and identify optimal solutions for ITS projects.

Knowledge Exchange

Organisations can share their knowledge and experience gained from different ITS projects by organising workshops and webinars. For example, organising a workshop on the current and future role of ITS in emergency management can bring together public agencies and private institutions that specialise in different aspects of emergency management – such as evacuation management during natural disasters. One organisation of this type is ITS-EduNet – an international network whose objective is to improve training and education in ITS at the European level.  The ITS-EduNet network aims to:
  • encourage the sharing of resources and exchange of information through the establishment of a knowledge database
  • improve exchange and networking between universities and other organisations who are interested in improving ITS training and education
  • organise short courses and seminars
  • undertake initiatives to raise general awareness of ITS

Another example is the USDOT-sponsored Talking Technology and Transportation (T3) Webinars that are designed to help agencies to develop a skill set to solve challenges associated with ITS technology deployment and explore new opportunities. Its activities are outlined in the display box below.

USDOT Talking Transportation Technology Webinars

These free webinars are 90 minute, interactive online meetings that offer opportunities for knowledge sharing in ITS planning, design, procurement, deployment, and operations. The goal of this programme is to increase the capacity of ITS professionals in different institutions – by learning from each other’s experience in ITS.

Certification Programmes

Certification programmes in ITS can be developed at academic institutions or through partnerships between academic institutions and industry. An example is the University of California’s Intelligent Transportation Systems certificate programme – which is jointly sponsored by three departments: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. Its activities are outlined in the display box below.

University of California Berkeley ITS Certificate Program

The University of California’s Intelligent Transportation Systems certificate provides formal recognition to students that achieve a basic understanding and expertise in ITS. It is designed to help students to study ITS in a systematic and focused way while they are at the university. Students are required to complete two core courses:

  • Operations of Transportation Facilities
  • Intelligent Transportation Systems.

A student seeking a certificate in ITS is also required to take three courses from different departments (civil engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and industrial engineering and operations research). Two courses must be from outside the student’s home department.

 

The Consortium for ITS Training and Education (CITE) is an organisation with members from universities and industries,It also offers on-line certification programmes and courses in different areas of ITS

Reference sources

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