In any industry, a team’s success depends on more than the expertise of a single role. For the asphalt industry, that means having technical know-how from manufacturing and quality control to logistics, sales and field application. Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) encourages its employees to participate in technical education opportunities that help them build a broader understanding of the work we do and understand the impact they have on the industry at large.
Expanding Asphalt Emulsions Expertise
AEMA’s Asphalt Emulsions Certificate Program, developed in partnership with the University of Arkansas, is a series of online structured training courses on the science, production, testing, application and quality management of asphalt emulsions. The program is one of many educational resources offered through AEMA, which offers no-cost membership to government personnel and agencies as part of its mission to advance the asphalt emulsion industry.
The certificate program dives into four standalone courses, each including online coursework that allows participants to build expertise at their own pace while balancing day-to-day responsibilities. Participants walk away with a deeper understanding of the science behind asphalt emulsions and how knowledge from different disciplines comes together to support successful operations.
Along with professional development hours (PDHs) for completion of each certificate, the program includes valuable instructor feedback from recognized civil engineering educator Professor Andrew Braham and reference materials to refer back to even after the program.
One of the most valuable aspects of the program is its ability to connect different parts of the asphalt emulsion business. Employees often become experts in their own areas, but the coursework provides insight into how manufacturing, testing, storage, transportation, application and quality assurance all work together.
When employees understand how these pieces connect, they’re better equipped to solve problems, collaborate across teams and support customers with confidence. Those benefits were echoed by AMI employees who have completed the coursework.
Gaining a Broader Perspective
After completing the program, AMI Logistics Director Tyler Trent has a stronger understanding of asphalt emulsions, from production to the moment it’s placed on the road.
“It helps you with the bigger picture,” Tyler explains. “The coursework gives context to the conversations happening every day across the industry. Looking back, this knowledge may have helped me contribute more to problem-solving earlier in my career if I had taken these courses at the beginning of my tenure.”
AMI Sales Representative Nate Jenkins found similar value from a customer-facing perspective, being able to connect concepts that are often viewed separately.
“You gain a good understanding of how asphalt emulsions are made, stored, moved, tested and used,” he said. “It helps you understand the production side of the business; what different tests mean and how those results translate to field performance.”
For Nate, that broader understanding has translated directly into his day-to-day work. Knowing how each stage of the process affects product performance in the field helps him to ask the right questions throughout a project and offer more informed recommendations for customers to ensure the best material results.
“In a sales role, it has helped me troubleshoot issues day-to-day,” Nate said. “Going through the modules exposed me to parts of the process I don’t always see directly. It helped me understand how everything fits together.”
Committing to Continuous Technical Education
The value of the program extends beyond any single department. Employees in logistics, operations and customer-facing roles have used the coursework to strengthen their technical knowledge and gain new perspectives on how their work supports the broader business.
Kevin Nelson, Logistics Manager out of our Tama operations, recently completed the coursework, appreciating the self-paced format and downloadable course materials. His advice: take the course early.
“This course would be a great method for new employees to learn about the world of asphalt,” he said. “It helped me out a lot this year, and the only regret I have is that I didn’t take it the first year I began working at AMI.”
Completing his final certificate this year, Chris Kosiak, Logistics Lead in our Wisconsin market, echoes that sentiment. He is already encouraging a new dispatcher on his team to take the course in the off season, when there’s more time to be present with the material. “When next season kicks off, she’ll be up to speed on emulsions and be able to talk to plant personnel and customers more confidently.”
That confidence has already proven valuable in customer conversations. When a customer was unable to source the polymer-modified emulsion originally quoted for a project, Chris drew on knowledge gained through the coursework to evaluate the project requirements and recommend a comparable non-polymer alternative. By helping the customer understand the differences between the products and how traffic demands could influence performance, he was able to guide them toward a solution that kept the project moving forward.
The participation reflects a shared commitment across the company: stay engaged with industry developments and conversations to better support customers and colleagues.
Turning Knowledge into Better Outcomes
While the certificate courses focus on asphalt emulsions, the impact extends much further. Participants gain a broader understanding of the materials, processes and challenges that influence pavement performance, helping connect the work of manufacturing, quality control, operations, technical innovation and sales.
Programs like AEMA’s Asphalt Emulsion Certificate Courses support that shared understanding by giving teams insight into the full asphalt emulsion lifecycle. As a result, employees are better equipped to collaborate across departments, anticipate challenges and make informed decisions that ultimately benefit our customers and communities.
Investing in education is an investment in the future of the industry. By encouraging continuous learning and professional development, we’re strengthening the expertise behind every conversation and solution we offer.
That deeper understanding enables our team to provide stronger technical support and helps you maximize outcomes from your pavement strategies. Contact the AMI team to talk emulsions or to leverage our expertise support on your next project.
