Soon after Peter Paglia was hired as a Project Manager for the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Laboratory (CATT Lab) at the University of Maryland, his colleagues nominated him to enroll in the Operations Academy Senior Management Program as part of his onboarding. 

He’s certainly glad they did. 

“I did not know much about what others did in the field of transportation until I got to the Operations Academy,” Peter said. “A big part of the work we did was to make these contacts, learn others’ challenges, and put faces to names. I’ve now established contacts all over the country and we have built a community with a common goal.”

While in the Operations Academy, he interacted with clients who work adjacent to departments of transportation, in highway planning, crisis management, emergency response, and elsewhere. He gained insight into the work others do and the risks they face as they do their jobs, often in the middle of traffic. Meeting them and learning more about their daily challenges was among the most illuminating elements of the course. 

As a person working in information technology, it’s easy to forget that he’s creating devices for people at different levels of technical literacy. For example, a state trooper has many other concerns and might not necessarily have the time to learn to use a complex piece of equipment. 

The Operations Academy placed him in front of a very diverse group of clients and reminded him that those in IT have a powerful tool set, but others, like state troopers, don’t necessarily have the time to train. 

“This is an important lesson I brought back to my team. We have to remember our clients are at all skill levels; we have to help them get what they need without a lot of technical training,” he said. 

Completing the Operations Academy was challenging, but extremely valuable. 

“You can become very isolated in your job, but you’ll make lifetime industry contacts and find that transportation spans more than just highways,” he continued. “There are many other tangential connections to be made, and in the Operations Academy, you become aware of how it all interacts.”

Access to Listserve, an extensive database of Operations Academy alumni contacts working throughout the transportation industry, has proven invaluable. Through Listserve, he can ask an industry-related question and receive many responses and suggestions on how to find a resolution. 

“You can always find support,” he said. “This is a big benefit to being in the Operations Academy that I never expected.”