On a transport planning technician apprenticeship you’ll provide technical support to transport planners to help manage and improve transport services and systems.
Transport planning technicians work with transportation planners to develop, assess, and implement policies, plans, and projects to manage and improve local, regional, national, and international transportation systems, services, and their links with land use planning to support economic growth protect the environment, and promote social cohesion.
During your apprenticeship, you will develop a wide variety of skills, but you will likely specialise in one area. For example, contributing to the planning and design of transportation and traffic policies, plans, schemes, and systems; collecting, creating, and presenting data, written material, and analyses to aid policy, strategy, and project development.
What you’ll learn
On a transport planning technician apprenticeship, you’ll learn to:
- Apply transportation planning principles and methodologies to transportation planning solutions, integrating analytical, scientific, and technical expertise.
- Use national, regional, and local policies, transportation, or planning regulations to contribute to or analyse transportation planning solutions or improve transportation systems and services.
- Use crucial data collection, analysis, and evaluation ideas, techniques, and methodologies to help plan, design, implement, or assess transportation planning solutions.
- Plan and carry out data collection, analysis, and evaluation, and report the findings using appropriate conventions and terminology.
- Support and contribute to the creation of transportation planning solutions that take economic, security, cultural, and social well-being, as well as the environment, into consideration.
- Plan, carry out, and manage personal work while keeping the larger implications for others in mind, such as client, customer, or end-user expectations, and working within cost and resource restrictions.
- Implement statutory health and safety regulations and procedures in the transportation planning environment by using risk assessment methodologies, processes, and documentation.
- Use appropriate communication tactics for the audience, using appropriate terminology, standards, and facts.
- Apply notions of sustainability and ethics to transportation and travel planning.
- Plan, conduct out, record, and evaluate their own professional competence, regularly improving their CPD to improve performance.
What you’ll do
Your day-to-day tasks on a transport planning technician apprenticeship could be to:
- Forecast the impact of future initiatives such as shopping complexes.
- Consider traffic-management methods such as tolls or parking restrictions.
- Investigate accident “hotspots” to improve road safety.
- Write reports for funding bids and planning agencies.
- Act as an expert witness in public hearings.
- Highlight the benefits of utilising public transit, cycling, and walking to get about.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and maths, or equivalent qualifications. An aptitude and desire to work in transport planning and a passion for helping develop creative solution.
Assessment methods
The End Point Assessment consists of two distinct assessment methods:
- Technical project with report and presentation (technical project).
- Professional discussion (underpinned by a portfolio).
Working environment
You could work in an office or visit sites.
Career path and progression
There are opportunities in the public and private sectors, ranging from local and central government to transportation companies and small and large consultancies.
You may become a transportation planner or traffic engineer, being put in charge of projects or teams. You might also pursue a career in urban planning, policy development, or environmental consultancy.
Obtaining the Transport Planning Professional certification or chartered status with a competent professional organisation will help you further your career.
Key facts
Duration: 36 months
Relevant school subjects: English, maths and ICT
Entry requirements: Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and maths, or equivalent qualifications. An aptitude and desire to work in transport planning and a passion for helping develop creative solution
Achievement upon completion: Level 3 (Advanced)—equivalent to A-levels
Potential salary upon completion: £23,000 per annum
Apprenticeship Standard
More information about the Level 3 Transport Planning Technician 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.
