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Analysis Table
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Real Estate Training Needs Analysis:
Chapter 1 -
Executive Summary
A. Background
The Real Estate Training Needs Analysis is a collaboration between the
Federal Highway Administration's Office of Real Estate Services (ORES)
and the National Highway Institute (NHI). Organizationally, the Office
of Real Estate Services is within FHWA's Planning and Environment Core
Business Unit and serves as FHWA's advocate and national leader for fair
and prudent acquisition and management of real property. The NHI is the
technical training arm of the FHWA. Created in 1970 through Federal legislation,
NHI develops and delivers courses on a variety of transportation-related
topics to States, local governments, and the private sector on subjects
not available through other resources.
This document presents the findings of a series of discussions among
State real estate managers from State Transportation Departments, independent
real estate consultants, and key representatives from Federal agencies
that are also involved in real estate issues. Through FHWA's partnership
agreements and close association with the International Right of Way Association
(IRWA), the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) and the Federal Agency Task Force for Training, representatives
from their respective staff facilitated this effort.
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B. Research Goal and Objectives
The goal of this project was to gain a better understanding of training
needs for either the continuation of existing NHI courses or the development
of future course offerings. Insight and guidance were gathered to meet
the following project objectives:
- Identify Training Needs
- Identify Barriers that Inhibit Training
- Identify Opportunities to Improve Training
- Obtain Feedback on NHI Current Course Offerings
- Explore Future Training Needs
- Document Currently Available Training
Chapter II reflects available training courses that are considered directly
related to Uniform Act acquisitions. Chapter III reflects a comprehensive
listing of other real estate-related courses of interest to real estate
professionals.
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C. Methodology
Insights were gathered via two distinct methodologies, based on the needs
and flexibility of participants. The first research phase was designed
to garner insights from real estate professionals, both those employed
by the State, as well as independent consultants. This phase used focus
groups conducted in conjunction with professional meetings to provide
a rich dialogue and discussion of key issues. In the second phase, logistics
prohibited focus groups with over 20 representatives from various locations.
Therefore, input from Federal agencies was gathered through telephone
interviews with key representatives. This technique was selected to maximize
participation, conserve travel funds, and complete the study in a timely
manner. Both methodologies are described in more detail below.
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Focus Groups.
Three group discussions, outlined below, were conducted with people
involved in highway real estate issues. Each group consisted of approximately
10-12 participants.
- Boston, MA(12/1/99)
- New England Regional Federal/State Right-of-Way (ROW) Conference.
Attendees were State real estate management professionals from Maine,
New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, and Rhode
Island.
- St. Petersburg, FL
(1/11/00) - Executive Board meeting of the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Right-of-Way/Utilities
Subcommittee. Meeting participants were a national group of State
real estate management professionals.
- Austin, TX (1/28/00)
- The International Right of Way Association (IRWA) Region 2 Forum.
Participants were a national group of independent real estate consultants.
Each group discussion lasted approximately two hours and was conducted
by a professional qualitative moderator from Bonney and Company. All
discussion participants were assured that their comments would remain
confidential. Accordingly, no attribution of remarks is included in
this report and some verbatim remarks have been edited to remove identifying
characteristics.
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In-depth Interviews.
In addition, 22 telephone interviews were conducted with representatives
of other Federal agencies during March and April, 2000. Conversations,
lasting about one hour in length, were based on a standardized discussion
outline. The outline was developed from the input of representatives
of the ORES, NHI and Equals Three Communications®, and by the
interviewer from Bonney and Company. A copy of the discussion outline
is included as an appendix to this document.
Unless noted, we are not aware of any conditions in the marketplace at
the time of this project that we believe may have in any way biased the
study's outcome.
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D. Application of Qualitative Research
Focus groups and in-depth interviews seek to develop insight and direction
rather than provide quantitatively precise measures. The value of focus
groups and in-depth interviews is their ability to provide observers with
comments from a segment of the target population and for decision makers
to gain insights into the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of their
customer base. Because of the limited number of respondents and the restrictions
of recruiting, the qualitative research presented here cannot be projected
to a universe of similar respondents.
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E. Key Findings
1. Focus Groups with State and Consultant Real Estate Professionals
The results of this series of three discussions among State real estate
managers and independent real estate consultants provide interesting,
and actionable, insight into the NHI's current course offerings and the
future training needs of stakeholders.
Highlights from this Training Needs Assessment include positive
feedback from study participants on current NHI courses, with requests
for continuation of the Appraisal, Relocation, and Eminent Domain NHI
courses. Several participants commented that they thought these courses
were excellent and are frequently accessed by state real estate staff.
There were requests for NHI to consider adding courses to cover
additional technical areas, including Negotiation Skills, Property Management,
and a Basic Engineering Overview, so that professionals can read plans
and explain them to property owners. Overall, all focus group participants
consistently stressed the importance of adding a Project Management course
to provide critical information on contract management and collaboration
in a team setting. Participants also provided valuable insights into opportunities
to improve training, tailor training to better meet their needs, and use
training as a tool to support real estate professionals.
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a. Above all, this study reveals a profession experiencing
profound changes.
- Many State highway real estate departments are declining in size
and perceived importance as current professionals retire. In fact
one respondent termed the current environment "succession training,"
noting that he is witnessing a 60% turnover in staff.
- In this environment, those who remain are making a sometimes rocky
transition from specialists to generalists.
- Still others, somewhat ahead of the trend, recognize a further
transition from being practitioners to being project managers because
of the tendency to outsource work.
- At the larger level, many states are beginning to outsource highway
real estate professional services. In some states, this is a way
of "doing more with less." In others, it reflects State
mandates to downsize workforces.
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b. These various forms of organizational evolution are causing
not only radical changes in the work people do, but are having a profound
impact on the way that training occurs today and will occur in the future.
- Even as they recognize that changing conditions call for new training
approaches, most State real estate operations continue to think
in terms of centralized classroom-style training.
- However, declining ranks, travel restrictions, and the need to
take time off from the job make it increasingly difficult for states
to assemble the number of people needed to constitute "classes."
- Changes in occupational responsibilities mean a need for new areas
of training content, including project management, team dynamics,
contract preparation and management, computer skills, and an array
of softer "people" skills needed in environments where
one is more likely to be directing the work of others rather than
doing the work oneself.
- State real estate professionals and independent consultants both
note with disappointment and frustration the problems they have
in finding new, enthusiastic, and above all, qualified employees.
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c. While training is recognized as an important function in
this changing environment, it does not always translate into action:
- Only a few of the organizations represented in this study have
either formally designated training directors or formal real estate
training programs.
- The current Federal-aid authorizing legislation, the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), continues State Departments
of Transportation access to Surface Transportation Program funds
(STP), as specified within Section 504(a), for the express purpose
of NHI education and training programs. However, respondents indicate
that they compete with other agency priorities, as well as political
mandates, for these dollars.
- Some State policies such as restrictions on out-of-state travel
make it difficult, if not nearly impossible, for bordering States
to jointly sponsor needed training.
- Both State agencies and independent consultants complain that
the presence of so many state-specific highway real estate regulations
only compounds the difficulty of providing relevant, focused training
at anything above the State level.
- Independent consultants, whose livelihood is dependent on maximizing
billable hours, are frequently forced to make compromises between
contract-mandated productivity and what they know to be compelling
training needs when they consider whether, and how, to train their
employees.
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d. Training is currently procured from a variety of related
and unrelated resources:
- State agencies look to State human resource department training
for generic "people skills," computer training, and supervisory
training programs. However, few independent consulting firms appear
to have the luxury of providing or procuring this type of training
for themselves and their staff.
- Specialized training is procured from professional societies (e.g.,
International Right of Way Association, The Appraisal Institute,
The American Society of Appraisers, etc.), independent training
firms, and government resources such as NHI.
- Independent consultants use many of the same training resources
as State agencies. However, they do not appear to have nearly the
same perceived access to NHI programs as State agencies.
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e. Although it is often difficult, States and independent
consulting firms in this study say they are able to use current financial
and training resources to meet at least their basic needs. However,
none are truly happy with current arrangements and most are concerned
that changes in their industry will outpace their ability to receive
the training they need.
- Both State agency and independent consulting firm representatives
bemoan what many described as a less motivated work ethic among
new, young workers.
- Managers working with older workers express frustration because
they avoid or lack interest in continuing education or training
that introduces new technologies and new methods.
- Both State agencies and independent consultants express concern
that the kinds of training (e.g., project management, team skills,
time management, etc.) workers of the future may need may not be
available.
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f. Study participants strongly believe that in addition to
changes in course offerings, there need to be profound changes in the
way training is delivered:
- They perceive that training needs to be delivered to students
more directly and that it should be decentralized, whether through
use of technology or self-study courses.
- Training must become more tailored to meet individual needs.
- Training must be formatted so that it can be offered when needed,
not when convenient for the trainer or training organization.
- Participants suggest that the influence of the MTV generation
on the workplace has led to the need to abandon the instructional
techniques of the 1950s and 1960s (e.g., classrooms, overhead projectors,
slide shows, lecturing instructors) and adopt more innovative approaches
that integrate movement, electronic technology, and computer technology.
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g. Within this complex, evolving environment, participants
were generally respectful of NHI. At the same time, they noted factors
that limit their use of NHI materials.
- Many study participants were unaware that NHI was a unit within
the Federal Highway Administration. While most realize that NHI
is a Federal entity, the direct link to FHWA was not clear.
- In the world of highway real estate training, study participants
believe that NHI is uniquely qualified to be the definitive industry
source on matters related to Right-of-Way and other highway real
estate issues. More than one study participant asked, "Who
knows more about this stuff than NHI?"
- NHI is credited with offering well thought-out training programs,
even if they are sometimes perceived as taking too long to come
to market.
- Many of NHI's instructors are considered excellent. But some,
it was also noted, are to be avoided.
- NHI's training programs are perceived to be no better or worse
than others in terms of their coverage of state-specific regulations.
- NHI's pricing, while perhaps considered reasonable for the quality
of content and instruction provided, is nevertheless perceived to
be so expensive by some that they are limited in the number and
scope of NHI training programs they are able to use.
- NHI's insistence on minimum class sizes likewise makes it difficult
for states that have only small numbers of workers to train.
- Many independent consultants have little actual awareness of NHI's
full course offerings and, furthermore, feel they only have access
to NHI programs when invited to participate in training conducted
by their State clients. If they have no State clients sponsoring
NHI training or have no extra space in these programs, independent
consultants complain that they are simply "out of luck."
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h. But just as they describe these conditions, study participants
also believe that NHI has the unique ability to set a standard for changes
in highway real estate training. Two perceptions fuel this point of
view:
- They believe NHI, as a Federal entity, has the financial resources
and theoretical mandate to "do things right," whether
this means delivering relevant products today or creating state-of-the-art
training products for the future.
- They believe NHI has the talent and knowledge to create effective
training tools for the future.
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2. Interviews among Federal Agencies Involved with the Uniform
Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970,
as amended.
Representatives of more than 20 other non-highway Federal agencies
also participated in this study. Their relationship with Federal Highway
Administration real estate training is summarized below:
- Whether from actual experience or observation, nearly all other
agencies and branches represented in this study have concluded that
there is an opportunity to collaborate to meet increasing training
needs. As a result, many suggested sharing course descriptions or
developing an Interagency Task Force.
- A great many interviewed do not know much about FHWA real estate
training. A few were not aware that FHWA provides real estate training
for other Federal agencies through NHI. There was some concern that
FHWA training may be too highway-specific in some cases.
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Like their highway peers, however, real estate operations of
other Federal agencies are undergoing changes ranging from downsizing
to re-assessment of agency purpose to retirement of key personnel. In
nearly all cases, real estate personnel are making the change from specialists
to generalists, and from practitioners to managers of outside contractors.
Accordingly, the most compelling real estate training need identified
is real estate project management.
The years ahead will be challenging for everyone involved in
highway real estate issues. People will be changing, and the work they
do will be changing. The findings of this study suggest there is a growing
demand for new approaches to real estate training that are collaborative
and maximize existing resources. They also indicate that everyone can
benefit from the special skills, knowledge, and experience that exist
across the real estate community.
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F. FHWA Responses
Consistent with FHWA's strategic plan to align the Agency's resources
within a national framework, FHWA has immediately reacted to several key
issues raised in this analysis. Both ORES and NHI are seeking ways to
improve customer awareness of training opportunities, exploring ways to
deliver just-in-time training in response to customer needs and advocate
the use of technology to assist in this process. The following responses
address key issues and comments raised in this analysis:
- Federal Agencies indicated they were interested in opportunities
to continue exploring a wide range of collaborative activities and many
were unaware that FHWA provides real estate training for other Federal
agencies:
Response: FHWA's Federal agency task force developed a "Partnering
Agreement" to advance training opportunities. The Department of Interior
and the Federal Aviation Administration have executed this agreement and
it continues to be circulated for concurrence. The task force is meeting
on a regular basis to develop implementation strategy to be presented
to the All Federal Agency Group.
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- Participants supported the need to improve and tailor training courses
as a tool to support real estate professionals (need to keep courses
current):
Response: ORES/NHI will replace the Appraisal/Appraisal Review
course with two separate training courses, NHI#141043 Appraisal for Federal-aid
Highway Projects and NHI#141044 Appraisal Review for Federal-aid Highway
Programs. These courses will be piloted in Fall 2001. Other courses will
be revised as needed.
- Study participants indicated there need to be changes in the way
training is delivered:
Response: ORES/NHI are developing a "web-based" distance-learning
course for the Uniform Act with an anticipated delivery date of Fall 2001.
In addition, ORES has placed workshop materials on their website and will
explore other web-based initiatives.
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- Federal Agencies indicated a desire for a general course on the Uniform
Act:
Response: ORES is developing a standard Uniform Act Overview
Workshop (NHI #140139) that will permit delivery by headquarters and field
personnel. Anticipated completion is for Fall 2001.
- ORES is developing an "Executive Level Briefing for the Uniform
Act" for Fall 2001 delivery.
- Reference "web-based" Uniform Act course above.
- ORES is initiating development of a Uniform Act video for use in
public meetings.
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- Request for NHI to consider adding course on Project Development/
Management:
Response: ORES is initiating development of a course for "Project
Development: An Integrated Planning, Environment and Real Estate Approach."
Additionally, IRWA is developing a course in Project Management for
States and others who manage projects and employ consultants for project
activities.
- IRWA/FHWA Partnering Activities:
Response: IRWA has approved a list of NHI and ORES courses and workshops
for educational/re-certification credit. Other ORES workshops will
be added in the near future.
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- NHI/FHWA goal of exploring future training needs:
Response: ORES and Morgan State University, a historic black institution
located in Baltimore, Maryland, have developed a partnership to develop
a curriculum for courses in real estate acquisition for public work
projects.
- FHWA response to comments regarding competition for training funds.
Response: FHWA issued a memorandum dated November 12, 1998 on State
Right-of-Way (R/W) Training Federal Funding Sources. ORES will update
this information and reissue memorandum. Also, it will be posted on
ORES website.
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- Participants criticized the traditional, lecture style format of
some NHI instructors and commented that it was not stimulating, nor
conducive to learning.
Response: In October of 2000, NHI sponsored their first "Instructors'
Conference" in Colorado Springs, CO. General and breakout sessions
focused on the principles of adult learning, the importance of an interactive
teaching style, and effective course delivery techniques. Additionally,
NHI has developed an Instructor Development course and strongly encourages
all NHI instructors to attend. This course is an integral part of the
NHI's Instructor Certification program, through which instructors are
formally observed and critiqued by master trainers.
- The ORES staff attended a special session of the Instructor Development
course and to date, three have been formally certified as NHI instructors.
- An Instructor Development session was held for several NHI contract
instructors in February, 2001.
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- Consultants expressed frustration that state-hosted NHI classes are
not open to them; some state representatives indicated that they cannot
fill a class.
Response: Beginning January, 2001, NHI has gone to a fee-per-person
structure and encourages states to "sell" empty slots to
others. In addition, NHI is exploring an array of course delivery
options, including non-state sponsorship. Anyone can schedule an NHI
course as long as a 20-person minimum is guaranteed. In addition,
NHI will present "public offerings" of popular courses on
a regional basis.
- Awareness of NHI course offerings varies dramatically between states
and independent consultants.
Response: NHI has provided both hard copies and CD copies of
the 2001 NHI Catalogue to IRWA. In addition, IRWA courses are also listed
in the NHI catalogue.
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