Since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy, Apprenticeship opportunities and training are now a high priority for many organisations. The transport planning sector is no different.

Since September 2015, a level 3 Transport Planning Technician apprenticeship has been available through block release at Leeds College of Building, with this apprenticeship successfully recruiting 40 apprentices each year. In the summer of 2018, the first set of Transport Planning Technicians will graduate and achieve Engineering Technician (EngTech) registration status with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT).

The employer group responsible for the development of this apprenticeship is working to ensure a clear progression route for these existing apprentices is developed, to challenge and stretch these existing apprentices to degree level, ensuring the sector attracts and retains the brightest and the best transport planners for the future.

The aim of this new Degree Apprenticeship is to provide a structured education and training pathway that will provide the breadth and depth of transport planning knowledge, skills and behaviours required to underpin progression towards Transport Planning Professional (TPP).

The employer working group is now developing a bespoke ‘Transport Planning Degree Apprenticeship’ standard, and is working with three universities (Aston University in Birmingham, University of the West of England in Bristol, and with Westminster University in London) to develop the underpinning BSc in Transport Planning.

If your organisation would like to support the development of this degree apprenticeship and is not already involved in the Employer Working Group then please contact Caroline Sudworth, Education Specialist at TAC: csudworth@acenet.co.uk , as we need to establish the demand within the sector in order to progress the qualification. The deadline for responses is 6 December 2017.at TAC: csudworth@acenet.co.uk