On-the-Job Training Program

Equal opportunity and workforce programs

The primary objective of the Minnesota Department of Transportation On-the-Job Training program is to offer equal opportunity for the training and upgrading of minorities, women, and disadvantaged persons toward journey-level status in the highway construction trades.

The OJT program involves shared responsibilities among the Federal Highway Association, MnDOT and construction contractors. Some of these responsibilities include:

Establishing an annual OJT trainee goal
Assigning trainees and hours goal to projects
Recruiting and training minorities, women and disadvantaged persons

Program authority

Per 23 CFR 230.11, MnDOT has an established OJT Program and an OJT Special Provision that has been approved by the FHWA. This regulation is located in the Contract Special Provisions, Division S – Part B, S-41 (2041) On-the-Job Training Program.

OJT program application

Before a project is advertised, it will be evaluated for an OJT goal. An OJT goal includes the minimum number of individual trainees and a total number of hours that a contractor should utilize on a project. OJT goals are set after considering factors such as:

Length of the contract
Amount of the contract
Type of work in the contract
Need for additional journey level workers in the area
Availability of minorities, women, and other disadvantaged persons for training
Other applicable guidelines

OJT program proposal

Once a project with an OJT goal is awarded, the apparent low bidder must submit an OJT program proposal form stating the anticipated trades and potential sources for recruiting OJT trainees.

OJT trainee application

The contractor must submit an OJT trainee application within 30 business days of the trainee’s start date.

OJT mentorship agreement

The contractor may assign an OJT trainee recruited from a MnDOT workforce training program a mentor. The contractor must submit a mentorship agreement within 30 business days of the trainee’s start date.

OJT reimbursement

The contractor is then eligible for hourly reimbursement up to the goal of the contract. MnDOT may pay bonus incentives if the OJT trainee is a graduate of a MnDOT-funded workforce training program and if the contractor assigned that trainee a mentor. Contractors must provide their trainees with a copy of their training plan and a certificate of training hours completed.

OJT Request for Reimbursement

OJT departure

The contractor must submit the departure form within 15 business days of any OJT trainee voluntarily or involuntarily leaving its employment. The contractor does not need to submit a departure form for seasonal layoffs.

Final clearance

The contractor must notify the engineer and MnDOT’s Office of Civil Rights when the OJT goal is met and/or work is complete. Then, MnDOT’s Office of Civil Rights will issue a final clearance letter.

OJT special provisions (PDF) - projects let on or before September 5, 2022
MnDOT On-the-Job Training Special Provisions – projects let on or after September 6, 2022
State Aid On-the-Job Training Special Provisions – projects let on or after September 6, 2022

If a contractor does not meet the OJT goal for a project – trainee or hours goal – it must provide MnDOT's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) with a written explanation of the good faith efforts made to reach the goal. See the On-the-Job Training good faith effort.

The purpose of OJT Supportive Services program, also known as Workforce training, is to develop projects and initiatives that will enhance the state’s administration of the federal OJT program and to increase the pool of qualified minorities, women and disadvantaged individuals in the highway heavy construction trades. The MnDOT Office of Civil Rights Business and Program Development team manages the OJT Supportive Services programs.

To find out if a trainee graduated from a MnDOT OJT Supportive Services program, contact the On-the-Job Training Program Coordinator.