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The Vermont Local Roads Leadership Academy

Program Objective

The Vermont Local Roads Local Technical Assistance Program, in response to requests from local agencies in Vermont, is offering an opportunity for comprehensive leadership training. We are excited to offer our Vermont Local Roads Leadership Academy to allow you the chance to learn, grow, and build great connections. Successful transportation agencies don’t just have great employees; they also have great leaders.

Structure of the Program

The Vermont Local Roads Leadership Academy is a year-long leadership development program hosted by Vermont Local Roads. Eight training modules will be completed over one year. The training will be held from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. A presentation is also required for completion of the program.

Who May Apply?

The Vermont Local Roads Leadership Academy is open to current and future leaders of municipal transportation agencies. Directors of Public Works, Town Engineers, Highway Superintendents, Road Foremen, and Crew Leaders are encouraged to attend.

An application must be submitted and approved online. A letter of recommendation from your supervisor/select board must be included with the application, and the application must include a paragraph response to each question in the “Individual’s Goals for Participation” section of the application.

A selection panel will assess applications, and you will be advised of the outcome of your application once the selection has been completed.

Application deadline: March 4, 2024
Notifications: March 14, 2024
Official kickoff: March 21, 2024

Required Training (All eight modules are required for completion)

Module One - Leadership Skills (March 21, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Management vs. Leadership
  • What is Your Role?
  • Leadership Styles
  • Success Factors
  • Team Building

Module Two - Managing People (April 18, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Monitoring Performance
  • Leader as Coach (GROW Model)
  • Goal Setting
  • Motivation
  • Giving Feedback
  • Managing Generations

Module Three - Communication (May 7, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Basic Principles
  • Engaging Language
  • Active Listening
  • Non-Verbal Communication
  • Modes of Communication

Module Four - Dealing with Challenging People/Conflict Resolution (June 6, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Building Trust
  • Empathy
  • Judgements/Bias
  • Resolving Conflicts

Module Five - Customer Service (August 8, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Measuring Customer Service
  • Managing Customer Expectations
  • Customer Complaints
  • Difficult Customers

Module Six - Change Management/Working with Budgets (September 12, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Principles of Change
  • Responding to Change
  • Financial Terms
  • Working with Budgets
  • Writing a Budget
  • Bring Outline of your Presentation Idea

Module Seven- Effective Presentations (October 10, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Principles of Presentation
  • Planning & Structure
  • Preparing Your Slides
  • Preparing Yourself
  • Delivering the Presentation

Module Eight - Personal Development (October 22, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

  • Stress Management
  • Emotional Intelligence/Emotional Quotient
  • Time Management
  • Presentation Work Time

Final Presentations (October 31, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM) & (November 7, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM)

Sample Presentation Ideas:

  • Development of Tailgate Talks to support operational safety practices.
  • Development of resources that can be used to streamline typical operations.
  • Author a technical article to be shared in a newsletter/publication.
  • Creation of outreach materials to promote public works as an exciting career opportunity.
  • Creation of educational materials for residents on operational/safety topics.
  • Creation of a town budget and the steps on how you got to the final outline.
  • Showcase effective strategies for engaging with the local community, including the use of social media, town hall meetings, and community events.
  • Provide resources and strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and fostering a positive workplace culture.
  • Provide tips and best practices for delivering excellent customer service to residents.
  • Highlight any recent technological advancements or digital tools that have improved service delivery in your town.
  • Present sustainability initiatives implemented by the municipality, such as waste reduction, renewable energy projects, or green infrastructure.

Note: The team is open to your creative ideas for presentation topics.

Presentation Day(s) (attendance at all presentation days is required)

  • Group Presentations from VLR Leadership Academy Members

Where will training sessions be held?

Training sessions will be held at Vermont Local Roads based out of the Agency of Transportation in Barry City Place. The address is 219 North Main Street, Barre, VT 05641.

Additional expectations of Leadership Academy participants:

  • Self-assessment exercises completed in preparation for training sessions may be assigned
  • Participants will complete a final project (including a presentation given to their classmates)
  • Readings may be assigned in preparation for training sessions

How will the Training & Vermont Local Roads support this learning community?

  • Providing high quality training
  • Developing interactive curriculum to ensure experiential learning
  • Supporting members in presentation efforts
    • VLR staff will be available for questions and assistance between scheduled training sessions
  • Providing leadership resources

Additional Program Information:

There will be introductions to review the program's expectations and give you a chance to get to know your classmates on the first day of the Vermont Local Roads Leadership Academy.

Information on the schedule for the training modules has been provided for each session so you can plan your schedules accordingly. Your active participation in each training module will be an important part of this valuable learning experience.

Before applying make sure to have the following information available:

  • A letter of recommendation from your supervisor (to include reasons they feel you would benefit from the program).
  • A Bio/Resume (as Word DOC/DOCX or PDF file)

Files must be uploaded before submitting the form.

Please complete applications by March 4, 2024.

APPLY HERE

For questions, please contact:

Vermont Local Roads at: vermontlocalroads@vermont.gov

Or call 1-802-828-3537