National Highway Institute training program offers
engineers practical approach to learning
By Tawny Quast
W
hile a college engineering program is logically
the first step to learning the ins-and-outs of the
profession, ask any practicing engineer, and they
will likely say their learning didn’t stop with their college
diploma – in fact it was only just the beginning. Being an
engineer requires continual learning to keep up with the
current state of practice. And that recognition is exactly why
the Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway
Institute exists.
The National Highway Institute (NHI) is the training arm of
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Established
by Congress in 1970, the organization has a long history
of innovation and expertise in delivering transportation
training to practicing engineering and others in the industry.
While college gives a taste of the nuances of transportation
engineering, NHI’s programs delve deeper into the details,
said Carolyn Eberhard, NHI instructor liaison.
“Most of the college courses give a 15,000-mile overview of a
course, while most of (NHI’s) courses go down to 5,000 miles,”
Eberhard explained. “Our courses go more in-depth, and they
likely have instructors who have hands-on experience that
have implemented what they’re teaching. It offers a practical
approach to learning.”
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