Transport Planner

You’ll help design and develop transport and travel systems on a transport planner apprenticeship course.

A transportation planner plans and builds transportation and travel systems that are safe to use, ecologically sustainable, and meet the requirements of everyone.

You will apply advanced theoretical knowledge and transportation planning methods in this role, analyse and interpret complex interconnected data, use transportation modelling and appraisal techniques, determine the critical outputs from proposed plans and how they meet customer specifications as well as local and national policies, and evaluate the impact of potential transportation solutions.

Transport planners are rapidly embracing new technologies that enhance transportation system management, producing more accurate predictions.

During the apprenticeship course, you will connect transportation on a local and global scale, impacting the future of towns and cities, supporting economic development, conserving the environment, and strengthening social cohesion. A bachelor’s degree in transportation planning will be awarded to you.

What you’ll learn

On a transport planner apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Apply and adhere to transportation policy and planning practises for various modes of transportation within appropriate national, strategic, and local policy frameworks and analyse and evaluate the significant repercussions of such policies on individual projects.
• Determine and apply suitable transportation scheme design methodologies that allow for integrating diverse modes and systems to deliver efficient and secure transportation services.
• Apply and obey laws and regulations controlling transportation, health and safety, the environment, the law, planning, equality and diversity, and the company’s official procedures and practices.
• Manage activities and projects efficiently within agreed-upon time and budgets using appropriate project management tools and techniques.
• Educate and support decision-makers in developing transportation solutions using suitable software and digital technologies to apply, analyse, and evaluate a broad range of acceptable transportation statistics and data. 
• Coordinate with relevant organisations such as the police, highway authorities, and transportation operators to gain access to various data sources and surveys for multiple modes of travel and assess data suitability, validity, quality, and accuracy concerning its intended application.
• Determine the method for gathering, analysing, evaluating, and monitoring data for use in the development or delivery of transportation solutions. Entailing verifying the data’s applicability, validity, quality, and accuracy in connection to its intended purpose.
• Plan the many stages of a commercial or operational transportation management scheme, such as early project conception, feasibility research, detailed design, procurement, funding, implementation, and effectiveness measurement.
• Identify and recommend appropriate sources of finance or funding for a transportation system and engage in the bidding or procurement of transportation planning contracts or projects. This includes establishing and agreeing on specifications, budgets, and deadlines, identifying and analysing possible dangers and preparing or evaluating technical briefings.
• Create, promote, manage, and analyse travel planning programmes to increase travel awareness and impact travel behaviour. This entails developing, monitoring, and assessing goals, identifying and analysing possible benefits, and communicating and interacting with stakeholders knowledgeably and effectively.
• Identify transportation needs and suggest solutions, plan, evaluate, research community involvement, stakeholder engagement, or public consultation programmes.
• Effectively communicate both vocally and in writing in formal and informal contexts. Prepare written reports and give presentations, participate in and manage meetings, contribute to dialogues, and actively listen to ensure that other people’s viewpoints are considered. Seek feedback on your performance to uncover areas for improvement.
• Use appropriate transportation, environmental impact, and development planning laws, regulations, and procedures to acquire official approval for transportation solutions, considering the evaluation of public testing and best practise.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• Three A-levels, equivalent relevant level 3 qualifications, or successful completion of level 3 transport planning technician apprenticeship. Numeracy skills and a willingness to improve numerical and mathematical capability.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment consists of two distinct assessment methods: 

• Work-based Project (WP) followed by a Report and a Presentation with questions and answers.
• Professional Discussion underpinned by Portfolio.

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 6 Transport Planner Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.