For Alexandra Lopez, attending the Operations Academy in 2022 was a great investment in herself and her career. As Transportation Systems and Management Operations (TSMO) Engineer in District 4 at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), she made key connections with industry counterparts from all over the country while acquiring specific communication and technical skills that she applies regularly.

There are a variety of sessions encompassing many topics at the Operations Academy, but the one focusing on communication skills was particularly beneficial. It encompassed detailed instructions on how to improve her presentation of technological information. With her new approach, she is better able to discuss technical aspects of incident management, which is a central element of her role.

“As a TSMO expert, the most important benefit from the Operations Academy was I learned to better communicate to my agency what TSMO is and its impact. Now I’m able to demonstrate to our leadership what we need to invest in, and get their buy-in,” Alexandra said.

Using the presentation skills she learned, she could  inform her management why a new regional transportation center was needed, and she successfully gained their support.

Another Operations Academy training session focused on how to effectively break down complicated, large-scale projects into smaller, more manageable tasks and bring the project to successful completion.

In the Operations Academy, the participants are divided into groups to work on a project in which they must work together. The goal is to apply what participants have learned and solve problems. They must tackle a technical issue and find a way to present solutions to their management to gain their support.

“I found strategies to work together as a group, assign the tasks within the group, and move forward with more efficiency,” she explained. “I took a lot of those strategies and have been applying them in my day to day work.”

The group’s visit to the Maryland Statewide Operations Center was very valuable, and afforded the opportunity to see how other states handle their transportation challenges and expand her perspective on how her counterparts in other states carry out their responsibilities in a role similar to hers.

“I had such a great experience at the Operations Academy,” she said. “The instructors were very effective, and it improved my skills in so many ways. I think it’s important to invest in yourself, learn more about TSMO, and learn more about the differing perspectives and how the work you do impacts others.”