ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)
TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP (TPT WG)

Identification of Needed Intermodal Skills
and
Development of Required Training Programs

1. Project Description

1. To undertake two of the eight high priority tasks identified by the Intermodal Task Force (ITF). Specifically, objective six; task (1) identify needed intermodal skills, and task (2) develop education and training programs for these skills.

2. To identify the skills and training necessary for a profession in intermodal transportation and create a training program to develop these skills in the APEC economies.

3. To enhance both the pool of skilled intermodal labour and the competitive economic advantage of each economy.

4. This will be achieved by involving both the shippers and transportation operators, thus providing a practical focus to the project. Academics, and APEC Study Centres will also be involved to ensure that the project complements any existing work, rather than duplicating it.

APEC Leaders

This project is responsive to the sustainable development and economic and technical cooperation priorities set by APEC Leaders which was reaffirmed at their meeting in Canada in November 1997.

The project is consistent with the objectives of the APEC Framework for Strengthening Economic Cooperation and Development which is intended to reduce economic disparity among APEC economies, to improve the economic and social well being of people and to achieve sustainable growth. In November 1997 APEC Ministers reviewed progress achieved within the Framework and recognized that "an efficient, safe and integrated regional transportation system is critical to support growth". Furthermore, the Leaders agreed that;

skills development is one of the most important instruments for adjusting to the changes in the labour market and economic environment; and that the roles and contributions of labour and management in attaining APEC’s objectives of promoting sustainable growth and the overall well-being of the people in the region are important.

The Leaders Meeting in Malaysia in 1998 also highlighted the importance of Human Resources Development (HRD) and skills training. The priorities identified in the HRD Framework included: "increasing the supply and enhancing the quality of managers, entrepreneurs and educators/trainers in the areas of the economy central to fostering economic growth and development; reducing skills deficiencies and unemployment; increasing the quality of curricula, teaching methods, and instructional materials; and, increasing the opportunities in the region for people who seek to gain skills".

APEC Transportation Ministers

At their meeting in June 1997 in Victoria, Canada, APEC Transportation Ministers affirmed that "improving and strengthening transportation education and training through a comprehensive approach is key to the successful development of human resources in the transportation sector". Also at the meeting in Victoria, Ministers directed that an Intermodal Task Force be established.

Manila Leaders’ Declaration

This project is consistent with the direction given by APEC Economic Leaders at their meeting in Manila in 1996. There, the Leaders instructed their Ministers to give high priority to several themes including developing human capital and encouraging the growth of small and medium enterprises. They also placed "great value on promoting more people-to-people linkages, particularly those in education and business".

APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT WG)

In August 1994 the TPT commissioned the Congestion Points Study: Best Practices Manual and Technical Report to identify and promote beneficial transportation improvements for APEC regional development up to the year 2000 and beyond. While the intermodal aspect of the transportation system was referred to in the document, it was felt that it was not adequately addressed. Consequently, at the APEC Transportation Ministers’ meeting in June 1997, Ministers directed that an Intermodal Task Force (ITF) be established to provide guidelines, standards, and provisional options associated with an integrated transportation system.

Also within the TPT, the HRD Steering Committee Work Program specifies the need to identify skills which determine ways to improve training with particular emphasis on intermodal transportation and logistics training.

TPT WG Vision Statement

This project responds to the direction outlined in the TPT WG Vision statement where all participants are requested to "strive to facilitate improvements in productivity, skills and efficiency of labor and management in the transportation industry".

Intermodal Task Force (ITF)

At its founding meeting in August 1997, the ITF set out a mission statement, objectives of the Task Force and developed an Action Program. Under this Program, eight high priority tasks to improve intermodal transportation within and among the APEC economies were identified. Two of these tasks in support of objective # 6 were (1) identification of needed intermodal skills, and (2) creation of education and training programs to develop these skills. At the TPT meeting in Seoul, Korea in October, 1998, Canada agreed to take the lead on carrying out these two particular tasks.

Osaka Action Agenda

This project is consistent with the Osaka Action Agenda HRD Common Policy Concepts, specifically: "increasing the supply and enhancing the quality of managers, entrepreneurs, scientists and educators/trainers; increasing opportunities for people seeking to gain skills; and, preparing organizations and individuals to remain productive in the face of rapid economic and technological changes". Also, in the Joint Activities of this Agenda, APEC economies agreed to "conduct training of executives, managers, engineers, officials and other workers to increase the supply and enhance the quality of these people".

Linkages

If fully implemented, it is anticipated that this project will produce benefits both in the short term as well as in the long term. In the short term, this project will expand the skilled workforce in intermodal transportation, increase the ability of institutions to train people in the field of intermodal transportation, and provide a basis on which to build further discussion and work on developing the intermodal aspects of transportation.

In the long term, having a workforce skilled in intermodal transportation will lead to a more efficient intermodal transportation system. This in turn, will assist in the economic development of the APEC member economies. It is hoped that the impact of this training and the resultant increase in efficiency will be particularly evident in developing APEC economies some of which may benefit from assistance in optimizing existing transportation infrastructure. Also, beneficiaries of this type of training will be able to provide important insights into the development of new transportation infrastructure especially as it relates to intermodalism.

The benefits of this project will be realized on several levels:

• The public sector will be able to choose from a workforce of individuals skilled in intermodal transportation. Having this knowledge will enhance the public sector’s ability to educate officials from various levels of government on the barriers to intermodal transportation (some of which originate within government bureaucracy) with the distinct possibility of eliminating these barriers;

• Importers and exporters will benefit from a more streamlined and greater reliability of shipping services and thereby allow for just-in-time delivery of goods and services;

• Both the public sector and the private sector will be given the opportunity to work and learn together about intermodal transportation. This communication will help to build lasting cooperation among the two groups as well as share best practices of both public and private transportation organizations within each economy and internationally;

• The institutions utilized to develop the skill sets needed, and if necessary, the required training programs, will benefit from both a better view of the skills and thus training needed in intermodal transportation. If the project continues to the stage of developing new training programs, those institutions involved in the development and implementation of these programs will benefit from updated curriculum, materials and training methods;

• Individuals wishing to pursue a career in transportation will benefit from the opportunity to develop their skills with a practical focus and thus make themselves more marketable within the industry; and,

• The safety of the transportation system will be improved as the skills and training of those involved in the transportation industry are improved.

The business/private sector and non-governmental institutions will be very much involved in the planning and delivery of this project. For example, it will be important to target both the shippers and transportation operators within each economy to gain a fuller picture of what is required by both sides of the transportation equation. The needs of large international shippers will be key since many of these organizations face impediments to intermodal transportation daily. The inclusion of industry needs will be particularly important in filling any gaps in skills required to develop the intermodal aspects of the transportation industry. Of course, other non-governmental institutions, especially academic institutions, will also be closely involved with the development of the project particularly in identifying and evaluating courses in intermodal transportation. Furthermore, the project steering committee will ensure that this work will not duplicate the efforts of any other project, APEC or otherwise.

The outcome of this project will augment the knowledge already developed by other fora both within and outside the Asia Pacific Region. Examples of this include:

• The OECD’s TRILOG project to stimulate the exchange of concepts and experience on multimodal management, logistics and the associated policy challenges on a multi-regional and international basis.

• The TPT HRD Steering Committee program to assist the implementation of Electronic Commerce (EC) for commercial messages. Phase I of that project will focus entirely on the education and awareness aspects of electronic commerce.

• The "Best Practices for Intermodal Passenger Transportation: Description, Market Impact, and Lessons Intermodal" study which identifies intercity and rural intermodal passenger transportation practices in Canada, the U.S. Europe and Australia.

• The Congestion Points Study focused on aviation and marine congestion points and solutions. Although surface transportation considerations were built into this analysis, the aspects of the interconnection between the various modes, i.e. intermodalism, were only addressed in a peripheral manner and, therefore, will be augmented by this project.

• The U.S. National Conference on Intermodalism in 1994: "Making the Case, Making it Happen" which emphasized examples of effective intermodal project and plan implementation so that transportation professionals could better understand the characteristics of successful integration of intermodalism into transportation planning and decision making.

• The policy research project "Multimodal/Intermodal Transportation in the United States and Latin America: Government Plans, Policies, and Programs" undertaken by the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs studied whether or not customer transport needs are best served through the development and implementation of unimodal projects, independent of any coordination with or knowledge of other modal investment plans.

Benefits and Deliverables

Through promoting skills identification and training in intermodal transportation, this project will;

• Implement APEC Transportation Policy Objectives:

• Support the priorities identified in the HRD framework for APEC, particularly those which call for reducing skills deficiencies and unemployment;

• Contribute to the increased efficiency of the transportation sector and consequently improve the economic growth of the APEC region;

• Contribute to the improved safety of those working in the Transportation sector; and,

• Assist sustainable growth and development of the Asia Pacific region for the common good of its people and their equitable participation in intermodal transportation internationally.

Methodology

The project will be undertaken in two phases;

Phase I: intermodal skills data collection and analysis of available training programs; and

Phase II: the development of a training program(s) which could be accessed and used
(optional) for developing skills in those areas where no such programs currently exist.

More detailed descriptions of the project methodology for Phases I and II are contained in Attachment A.

Proposed Timetable for Phase I

Proposed Timetable for Phase II (if required*)

* Decision on whether or not to proceed with Phase II will be made prior to TPT-WG 18 so that, if necessary, the Phase II project proposal could be presented to the Steering Committee on More Competitive Transportation Industry and the TPT Working Group for approval prior to submitting it to BMC/SOM 2000.

Proposed Budget for Phase I

No budget estimate has been made for Phase II of the project. This phase would involve the development of training program(s) in intermodal transportation that are not currently available. A separate funding proposal will be lodged for Phase II if the Phase is deemed necessary. A final report would be presented at TPT-WG 18.

Proposed timetable for drawdown of APEC funding

Dissemination of Project Output

The results of each of the steps, as well as the final report, will be circulated to all member economies on the TPT web site for their review and comments. A hard copy of the approved final report will also be circulated to Working Group members. Economies will be encouraged to distribute copies of the final report to participating industry, academic, and other transportation organizations. One copy of the final documents will be available to each APEC member economy with additional copies able to be taken from the electronic version as required. Finally, the materials and findings would also be available in hard copy from the Secretariat.

Assessment of Project Results

Throughout and following completion of the project, the project overseer and/or project Steering Committee will determine whether or not completed results satisfy the objectives outlined in this proposal and will seek feedback from various economy participants on meeting intermodal training requirements in their respective industries. Results of the project will be measured in terms of the variety and applicability of the intermodal skills identified, the practical utility individuals find in the identified skills and the number of individuals who express a desire to acquire these skills.

Publicity Plan

Member economies will determine the publicity provided to the project given the results relating to each economy. As stated above, one hard copy of the final results will be sent to each member economy.

Budget for publication and Dissemination

The estimated cost of distributing one hard copy of the final report to relevant international organizations and each member economy is US$2,000 and is included in the budget proposal on page 7.

Assessment of Project

The outcomes of the project will be assessed in terms of improved recognition of the unique skills necessary for a career in intermodal transportation, an in-depth assessment of training and education opportunities in intermodal transportation, and an increased number of individuals with these skills.

Oversight of the Project

All APEC economies will be invited to participate in the project which will be overseen by Canada. A Steering Committee, in conjunction with the APEC Secretariat, will prepare an RFP and select a consultant.

Undertaking by the APEC Transportation Working Group

The APEC Transportation Working Group undertakes to work closely with the APEC Secretariat, and exercise due care in ensuring that:

1. The line items for the APEC-funded parts of the budget of this project are within SOM-approved guidelines.

2. The cost for line items for APEC-funded parts of the budget of the project are justifiable.

And, with regard to the dissemination of results from the project, due care will be taken to ensure that:

1. Comprehensive quality control and professional editing, including factual precision and thoroughness, are maintained and that all publications and other dissemination media are understood by and useful/beneficial for the target audience, prior to submission of materials to the printer and the APEC Secretariat.

2. All output will be consistent with APEC’s publication policy.

The project has been reviewed, approved and prioritized by my Working Group before it is submitted to the BMC review.

 _______________________________
Ted Cherrett
Lead Shepherd

_______________________________
Date and Place

ATTACHMENT A

Concept Paper

Identification of Needed Intermodal Skills
and
Development of Required Training Programs

The project would be divided into two phases: (1) identify needed skills and assess training and education opportunities; and, (2) (if necessary) develop a training program(s).

1. To undertake two of the eight high priority tasks identified by the Intermodal Task Force (ITF). Specifically, objective six; task (1) identify needed intermodal skills, and (2) develop education and training programs for these skills.

2. To identify the skills and training necessary for a profession in intermodal transportation and create a training program to develop these skills in the APEC economies.

3. To enhance both the pool of skilled intermodal labour and the competitive economic advantage of each economy.

4. This will be achieved by involving both the shippers and transportation operators, thus providing a practical focus to the project. Academics, and APEC Study Centres will also be involved to ensure that the project complements any existing work, rather than duplicating it.

 Methodology

Introduction

The first step in phase one would seek to identify the skills necessary for a profession in intermodal transportation. The second step would be to determine what is available in terms of training and education in intermodal transportation. The third step would be a culmination of steps one and two. Here the skills identified as necessary to intermodal transportation would be compared with the training and education programs available. Finally, the materials and findings from each of the three steps would be accessible through the Secretariat and the TPT web site.

Step 1 - Identifying Skills

First, a needs assessment must be completed of what the industry requires in the way of qualified personnel to provide an efficient, seamless transportation system. Interviews and surveys with people in the transportation industry will be conducted to determine what skills and education they require within their organizations. This would include not only the education and experience necessary to begin a profession in intermodal transportation but the skills useful to progress within that particular industry. It will be important to target both the shippers and transportation operators within each economy to gain a fuller picture of what is required by both sides of the transportation equation. The needs of large international shippers will be key since many of these organizations face impediments to intermodal transportation daily. The inclusion of industry needs will be particularly important in filling any gaps in skills required to develop the intermodal aspects of the transportation industry.

Another task to be undertaken in step one is the examination of the content of programs offered through educational institutions, such as universities and technical colleges, as well as those offered through transportation organizations. For example, both the Canadian Association of Logistics Management and the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation offer courses on a variety of transportation topics. Through an analysis of the courses in these programs, we will discover which skills are considered necessary by the institutions, as well as those which are common throughout the APEC region, and which courses tend to be region or economy specific.

Finally, a third step would be a literature review of any studies, papers or conferences which explore the skills and training necessary for a career in intermodal transportation. An example of one such conference held in Washington, D.C. was the Intermodal Transportation Education and Training Conference put on by the U.S. Transportation Research Board in November 1997. This review will ensure that work already completed in this area will be examined and complemented rather than duplicated.

Step 2 - Identifying Opportunities in Training/Education

This would be done by, first, examining the education and training programs that already exist. Since this task would have begun in step one of the project, this portion would be developed quickly. Next, the members of the ITF would be contacted and asked, if they wanted to acquire the skills identified in step one, where in their economies they could obtain such skills. Each of the APEC Study Centres would also be contacted in this regard. Much of this survey work would be complete electronically.

Step 3 - Comparing Needs with Opportunities

The third step of the project is a culmination of steps one and two. In step three the skills identified as necessary to work in the field of intermodal transportation would be compared with the various training programs currently offered. Once the findings of this comparison are complete, each economy would be asked to review the results (particularly for their own economy) in consultation with APEC Study Centres and other academic institutions. In this way, it can be determined if the training opportunities match the skills required. If there are some gaps in training opportunities, a project proposal would be submitted to proceed with phase II.

Step 4 - Disseminating Results

In step four, the findings from each of the three steps would be placed on the APEC TPT web site so that those wishing to access this information could do so in a timely manner. Also, the materials and findings from each of the three steps would be available in hard copy from the Secretariat.

Phase II

If deemed necessary, the second phase of the project would undertake to develop a training program(s) which could be accessed and used for acquiring skills in those areas where no such programs currently exist. This training package would include resource materials, curriculae, and possible educational institutions where programs could be accessed. The package would be the property of the APEC Secretariat and would be available to all APEC economies as well as to others. While the program would be general in nature to enable application where desired, it would also allow for economy specific training. This would include allowances for varying degrees of infrastructure and efficiencies in each economy’s respective transportation system. It would also enable the incorporation of cultural and linguistic differences.

Outputs

The output from Phase I will be a detailed report containing:

• a detailed description of the skills identified as necessary to a career in intermodal transportation;

• a list of the training programs in intermodal transportation currently available; and,

• an analysis of the identified skills compared to the training programs available to determine if training opportunities match the skills required.

The output from Phase II would be a training program(s) to develop skills necessary for a career in intermodal transportation.

Linkages

The information gathered under this project will link to possible future projects which develop intermodal transportation skills. will be placed on the TPT WG web site in such a manner such that electronic hotlinks can be used to share the information with such organizations as the OECD. This would meet needs of virtual companies that operate to and from many jurisdictions. Already the US DOT is doing this for all of its reports and studies and has set up an office to oversee this initiative.

This page was last updated on 12 March, 2008