January 25, 2022

We recently sat down with Terracon’s Alicia Winterstein and got to know more about her career, her life, and the benefits of her membership in the Women of Asphalt. We enjoyed getting to know more about her and want to thank her for time.

The U.S. has had a difficult couple of years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic recession and a larger-than-expected cohort of retirees. Compared to other states, though, Utah has done remarkably well during this challenging time, outperforms other states, and is a model for getting things done.

Utah is recognized as business-friendly for many reasons, such as the economic outlook and an educated workforce. But as the U.S. ages, older workers retire and graduating high school seniors continue to opt for something other than learning a trade. Old solutions and strategies have become ineffective, and too many job openings for skilled work go unfilled. The Rural Water Association (RWAU), which consists of public and private water and wastewater systems in cities and municipalities, noticed a big gap in the number of workers retiring as opposed to the number of new employees it was able to hire. To help fill this gap, RWAU worked with the Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship and Workforce Services to set up two apprenticeship programs and now serves as an intermediary between potential apprentices and its membership base by providing classroom instruction and support throughout the process.

It’s no secret that the U.S. infrastructure is old. Rebuilding it will take money, but federal, state and local governments have not allocated enough money for several decades. Even though roads are vital, people take them for granted, paying for maintenance isn’t flashy, and other budget items seem more important. However, the situation has finally changed. The U.S. Senate passed the infrastructure bill in August, 69-30, with 19 Republicans joining Democrats and one Republican not voting. Then the bill had to go back to Congress as H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The House of Representatives passed it Nov. 5, 2021.

The Utah Asphalt Conference (UAC) is the premier asphalt related event in the state of Utah. The conference brings together the asphalt industry’s best and brightest for a second-to-none trade show and over twenty-eight educational seminars.

As we look to 2022 and beyond, I am excited to know that the future is bright in our shared industry. I am humbled by the good people and ideas that build this country and give us our infrastructure. Simply put, we are all a part of an incredible legacy.