The Standard sets out the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours that could be expected of a transport planning technician.  Crucially, the knowledge and skill requirements map on to those of the Society’s Professional Development Scheme, the PDS, and the TPP qualification, providing a continuous pathway from leaving school through the apprenticeship and the PDS to award of the TPP, for those apprentices who aspire to becoming full professionals.
 
With the BIS approval, the Employers’ Group is now able to progress to the next step - the development of plans for delivery and assessment, bringing the apprenticeship closer to reality.
 
The apprenticeship is being developed by an Employers Group, which is chaired by Christine Crossley of Atkins and includes PDS users Arup, CH2M Hill, the Highways Agency, Hyder, Mott MacDonald, Peter Brett and TfL as well as the Society.
 
Keith Mitchell, Chair of the Transport Trailblazer, TPS Skills Committee member, past Chair of the Society and Chairman of Peter Brett Associates is
‘delighted that approval for the Standard for the Transport Planning Apprenticeship has been obtained. It marks the first step towards providing a real and alternative career path for young people in to Transport Planning’.
 
Martin Richards, the Society’s Director for Skills and the TPS representative on the Employers’ Group, would be pleased to provide further information to those interested in the planned apprenticeship.  He can be contacted at pds@tps.org.uk.
 
Click here for a copy of the Standard.