Transport Planning Degree Apprenticeship set for Autumn launch

The first ever degree apprenticeship to train Transport Planners in England is now in the final stages of approval by the Government, with employers in England able to recruit candidates immediately to start the programme this autumn.   

The Level 6 Transport Planner degree apprenticeshipis a new route into the profession that combines academic education with practical experience, with apprentices earning a salary from an employer.  

Designed by the Transport Planning Employer Trailblazer Group, with the support of the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC),the integrated degree approach will combine the degree qualification with the end point assessment, delivering the vital knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to become professional members of the Transport Planning community.

It is also an ideal route for those on the three-year level-three transport planning technician apprenticeship after they have successfully completed their end point assessment with the CIHT.

There is strong interest for the scheme, with a wide range of employers interested in recruiting and progressing apprentices; the professional bodies are also supporting apprentices on their journey through the Transport Planning Society Professional Development Scheme (PDS)which should be run alongside academic learning in the workplace.  

During the development of this apprenticeship, the trailblazer group has worked with several universities to develop bespoke degrees which include the assessment of the apprenticeship, with the first of these set to launch in September 2019 at Aston University.

Currently, the vast majority of transport planners enter the profession after graduating from undergraduate or postgraduate degrees from across a range of subjects. This apprenticeship will support those entering the transport planning profession, not only with the academic credibility of their graduate counterparts but will deliver the highly technical and professional skills and behaviours needed by our transport planners.  

The time needed to complete the apprenticeship can vary, but it is typically completed within four to five years. Levy-paying employers in England can use the levy to fund this apprenticeship, up the maximum funding rate of £23,000.

A formal launch is currently being planned for employers wanting to know more and to meet the university providers. For more information or to attend the launch, please email Caroline Sudworth at TAC: csudworth@acenet.co.uk