Training Update
First NHI Instructors Certified
The National Highway Institute (NHI)
901 N. Stuart Street, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22203
www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov
The National Highway Institute proudly congratulates the first 20 FHWA and contract instructors that have successfully completed the instructor certification process and are now "NHI Certified Instructors." This accomplishment is a tribute to a fine group of NHI instructors who had the skill and dedication to create a good learning experience. During the certification process, each instructor made a presentation using a combination of interactive methods such as group discussion, problem solving, and team exercises - in other words, instructors focused on the needs of the adult learner. Many other instructors have requested that their class be observed by a "master trainer" for instructor certification. Keep in mind, not only is instructor certification a sound development opportunity for each instructor, but NHI requires all of its instructors to be certified within the next three years. For more information on the certification process, please contact Ilse van Goth, Instructor Certification Program Manager, at (703) 235-0525, or check our home page: www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov.
New NHI Courses in Latin America
Several NHI courses have had successful presentations in various Latin American countries, including Bolivia,Chile, and Peru. At present, NHI has nine courses available in Spanish and Portuguese and is also starting an instructor certification process in Latin America. For more information, check our Spanish and Portuguese language Web pages or call Liana Montero at (703) 235-0550 (Spanish) or Gisa Bougleux at (703) 235-0551 (Portuguese).
New Courses Available
NHI course #13069, Hazardous Bridge Coatings: Design and Management of Maintenance and Removal Operations, has had a very successful beginning: three classes were presented in 1998 and six classes have been presented this year, with several more scheduled over the next few months. The focus of this course is maintenance and/or removal of bridge paint systems that contain lead or other potentially toxic materials. It is targeted at highway and transportation agency employees and private industry personnel who are responsible for the development of contract specifications and procurement requirements for the removal and/or maintenance of bridge paint systems.
Course #13079, Bridge Coatings Inspection, was successfully piloted in January in Topeka, Kan., by a team of instructors from KTA-Tator, Inc. The course focuses on the inspection of surface preparation and application of protective coating systems for bridge and highway structures, including the development of site-specific inspection procedures based on a governing specification. The course provides a basic overview of the theory of corrosion and its control, and the characteristics of various bridge coating types, as well as surface preparation and coating application techniques and equipment.
Several new pavement courses are also available for scheduling. These include course #13126 (Pavement Subsurface Drainage Design), #13144 (Hot-Mix Asphalt Production Facilities), and #13145 (Hot-Mix Asphalt Materials, Characteristics and Control), as well as the completely revised course #13129 (AASHTO Pavement Overlay Design). Visit our Web site for more detailed information or call Lynn Cadarr at (703) 235-0528 to schedule these courses. Check every issue of Public Roads for the latest training and educational activities of NHI.