Students gather for Transportation YOU's DC Youth Summit for STEM

In addition to our laser-focused pursuit of safety, one of DOT's challenges is to help the transportation industry attract talented new professionals to its ranks.  That's why DOT has partnered with WTS in Transportation YOU, a program to promote education in the important areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and bring high school students together with professional mentors who introduce them to the world of transportation.

Look, to make our vision for a cutting-edge transportation network a reality, we need to tap the best and brightest minds of this generation.  And if we truly want the best and brightest, we must ensure that young women have all the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in transportation careers.

Today, I met with 17 promising young women and their mentors who were at DOT for the Transportation YOU DC Youth Summit for STEM. This flagship conference is the pinnacle of the Transportation YOU program, bringing together participants and mentors from across the country.

Participants are attending workshops, learning about educational opportunities, meeting with senior DOT and Administration officials, and even working on solutions to the real-world transportation challenge of accessibility.  The event is generously supported by staff from WTS and Clemson University.

The field of transportation is a diverse world offering these young women a host of opportunities and challenges that are as engaging as they are rewarding.  And, whether we realize it or not, transportation touches all of our lives each day.

That box of cereal or frozen waffles on our breakfast table was delivered by truck to a local grocery store, and some time before that it was hauled to a factory as grain inside a railroad car. We commuted to work or school today--and will return home--via car, bike, transit, or sidewalk. Thinking about a vacation for spring break? A plane, train, bus, or car will help get you there.

Without transportation, we'd be standing still. And without transportation professionals, there would be no transportation. Helping the industry attract America's best and brightest is one way of ensuring that our nation's transportation system remains the envy of the world.

When women do better, families and communities do better.  So, by investing in America’s women, we’re making a sound, smart investment in America’s future.  And I'm pleased to partner with WTS  on this important initiative.