If 50 years of "Star Trek" has taught us anything, it's that virtual communication is the wave of the future. Kirk, Spock, Picard, Janeway and all the rest are constantly using viewscreens, communicators and holograms to connect with people who might be worlds away. 

While we may still be a long ways away from teleporters and starships, during the current public health situation we are looking toward technology to continue offering training and services.

Road projects have continued to move forward during this time, which means ADOT had make sure the public could have plenty of input. As we told you about recently, with traditional public meetings a non-starter we used a virtual town hall format for some projects, such as the future improvements to the Interstate 40 and US 93 interchange. People were able to use their communicators – known in this century as cellphones – to call in and listen to the presentation. The meeting was also broadcast via two radio stations. The number of comments we received from this meeting rivaled those of a tradition in-person open house.

When it came to continuing our offerings to help small or economically disadvantaged businesses seeking federally assisted contracts, those too are now being done virtually. These businesses can now receive counseling or take advantage of other tools, such as our 21-week Business Development Program, completely online.

Back in April, ADOT's Border Liaison Unit launched a webinar for Mexican truckers to discuss emergency restrictions and exemptions for commercial vehicles using the state's ports of entry. This proved so successful that future webinars are planned that will incorporate material from the in-person safety training the unit has been doing since 2016.

This month we also held another session of our popular Construction Academy to help women, veterans, minorities and other disadvantage groups get the necessary training to get into a career in construction. The majority of particpants were able to receive the necessary classroom training through video conferencing and online construction. 

And the best part is that these virtual tools have proven popular and useful enough to help our communication and training efforts live long and prosper even after the need to socially distance ends.

The technology we are using may not be as cool as what you'd find on the bridge of the Enterprise, but it's still allowing us to boldy go forward in our continuing mission to better communicate and serve the drivers of Arizona.

It’s not a surprise to most that women are underrepresented in the construction industry. Across the country, about 9 percent of construction workers are women, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Recently, ADOT’s first-ever Construction Academy exclusively for women looked to buck many stereotypes, such as construction being for those without a college educations and that blue collar jobs don’t pay well.

Anyone talking to the group of women who attended the two-week academy would learn differently.

The class of  10 included a former police officer, women with college degrees and those with backgrounds in marketing and customer service. Graduates can expect starting salaries of $14 to $24 per hour.

If the women attending the academy were ever unsure about their path forward, they only had to look to instructor Patricia McKinley to see what is possible. Patricia graduated from a Construction Academy a few years ago and now owns her own trucking company, KHAVL Transport.

Attendees learn about reading blueprints and construction plans. They came away with flagger and OSHA10 safety certifications. Graduates learned construction math and were prepped to take the Commercial Driver License test. Teachers also helped students with career guidance and resume preparation.

Academies are on hold due to the current public health situation, but those interested in future academies can visit azdot.gov/Academy. They are open to members of economically disadvantaged groups, including women, veterans, members of minority groups and those who are unemployed. 

ADOT has hosted many sessions of its Construction Academy during the past six years. But the latest one held at the beginning of March in Phoenix was still a momentous first.

That's because all the participants in this academy, which kicked off March 2 and ran through last Friday, were women. That's them in the slideshow from the end of the session to the right.

And that was by design. Though the Construction Academy sessions are available and beneficial for minorities, veterans and members of other economically disadvantaged groups, including those who are unemployed, this time around it was decided to specifically target underrepresentation by women in the construction field. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 9 percent of construction workers nationally are women.

The training the Construction Academy provides covers construction math, flagger certification, OSHA 10 safety certification, reading construction plans, obtaining a Commercial Driver License permit and resume building. If participants have perfect attendance, they also receive a set of tools valued at $200.

And this training is especially beneficial to women. It helps them craft a powerful resume when they apply to work on federally funded projects, where contractors must adhere to regulations on representation by women and members of other economically disadvantaged groups. Beyond that, the larger goal of the Construction Academy is to help all participants view construction as not just a job but a viable career.

Though this was the first targeted session, ADOT’s Construction Academy has already done a good deal to help more women enter the industry. About 35 percent of the 600 graduates of the academy so far have been women.

Three-quarters of all Construction Academy participants have gone on to work in the construction field as flaggers, commercial truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, highway surveyors, electricians, carpenters, painters, pipe fitters, concrete finishers and block masons. Depending on the position, they start out earning $14 to $24 an hour, and sometimes more.

There are seats available for Construction Academy sessions in April and May. You can find more information or learn how to apply on our website. 

If you’ve been thinking about a career in construction, ADOT’s Construction Academy may be right for you. Applications are currently being accepted for training programs in February and March. This full-time, two-week program prepares students for highway construction jobs and apprentice programs.

“It was the best program ever. I loved it!” – Shawn Mosley, Construction Academy graduate

ADOT’s free Construction Academy gives women, minorities, veterans and the underprivileged a chance to earn the skills necessary to enter the construction industry. In fact, our academy training in March is open to women applicants only.

Through this program, you’ll receive training in construction math, learn how to read a construction plan and get commercial driver license permit training. You’ll also earn certification to work as a flagger on highway projects and get a 10-hour OSHA training certification.

“By going through this school, it improved my skillset and made me more marketable for an entry-level construction job.” – James Randolph Jr., Construction Academy graduate

The academy also features a course dedicated to work readiness in which you’ll work on resume-building and hold mock interviews to get you ready for your next career move.

On the final day of the academy, ADOT invites contractors to a career fair held for the graduates. At the conclusion of the last academy in November (there are photos from it at right), every graduate who attended the career fair had an interview extended.

“My favorite part of the course was meeting all the contractors. You won’t get that anywhere else.” – Paul Bellicini, Construction Academy graduate

Are you next? Sign up for the next Construction Academy programs at azdot.gov/academy.