The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) a series of recommendations regarding automated technologies workforce recruitment and skill set.
The GA analysis and subsequent recommendations stem from automated technologies holding promise while accidents involving them demonstrate potential safety challenges. USDOT is responsible for overseeing the safety of all modes of transportation, per the GAO.
The GAO’s scope of review involved analysis of stakeholders’ perspectives on the skills required to oversee automated technologies, the extent to which USDOT has identified and assessed the skills it needs to oversee these technologies, and the extent to which DOT developed strategies addressing any gaps in skills.
The GAO also reviewed relevant literature and USDOT workforce planning documents, in addition to interviews with DOT human capital officials, selected modal administrations, and stakeholders.
The GAO issued recommendations, noting the Recommendation the Director of USDOT’s Department of Human Resources should complete efforts to identify all cybersecurity occupations across the agency and incorporate those related to overseeing the cybersecurity of automated technologies into its workforce planning efforts; assess skill gaps in key occupations involved in overseeing the safety of automated technologies; regularly measure the progress of strategies implemented to close skill gaps and ensure modal administrations offer training to close those gaps; and collect and analyze information on the effectiveness of recruiting strategies, such as special payment authorities, in attracting staff to occupations overseeing the safety of automated technologies – and share effective strategies with modal administrations.