Transportation Construction Inspector Education, Training and Certification: A Comparison of State Transportation Agencies and 3rd Party Consulting Firms

11 pages•Published: July 23, 2025

Mamdouh Mohamed, Manideep Tummalapudi, Jonathan Elliott, Christofer Harper and Daniel Tran

Abstract

State departments of transportation (DOTs) face significant challenges in retaining and recruiting construction inspectors (CIs) due to high attrition rates, budget constraints, and declining interest among younger generations. As a result, many DOTs have outsourced inspection to consulting firms to augment staff shortages. Hiring CIs through external sources may lead to variations and potential inconsistencies in CI knowledge, skills, and abilities. This study investigated CI education, training certification requirements, and delivery methods, as well as the challenges faced when administering these programs. A survey of 86 respondents from 46 state agencies and 27 firms revealed notable differences in formal education requirements and certification acceptance between DOTs and consulting firms. DOTs generally have lower education requirements and less acceptance of national certifications compared to consulting firms. Training methods also differ, with DOTs favoring internal programs and firms preferring third-party providers. Despite these differences, reported challenges in CI training remain similar to those identified a decade ago. The study highlights the need for standardization in CI qualifications and training to ensure consistency in knowledge and skills across the industry.

Keyphrases: construction inspection, education, highway construction, training and certification requirements

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference, vol 6, pages 181-191.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/nw4Q
	https://doi.org/10.29007/4rdr

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2025:Transportation_Construction_Inspector_Education,
  author    = {Mamdouh Mohamed and Manideep Tummalapudi and Jonathan Elliott and Christofer Harper and Daniel Tran},
  title     = {Transportation Construction Inspector Education, Training and Certification: A Comparison of State Transportation Agencies and 3rd Party Consulting Firms},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {6},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/nw4Q},
  doi       = {10.29007/4rdr},
  pages     = {181-191},
  year      = {2025}}

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