Olivia Thomas’ story of her apprenticeship
Hi, I’m Olivia, and I became a transport planner through the apprenticeship route, rather than the university route. Typically, to become a transport planner, you have to obtain a degree in geography, maths, planning or engineering, and then undertake a 2-year graduate scheme. Many posts now request you do a master’s in transport planning as well. I, however, became a transport planner from starting a level 3 transport planning technician apprenticeship to now completing my level 6 transport planner apprenticeship.
I opted for the apprenticeship route over pursuing a university education for several reasons. Firstly, I value hands-on experience and believe that actively engaging in a professional setting will provide me with practical skills directly applicable to my chosen field. Unlike a traditional university route, an apprenticeship allows me to immerse myself in the industry from the outset, gaining real-world insights and learning on the job. Additionally, the prospect of earning while learning is attractive, as it not only alleviates the financial burden associated with university, but it also allows me to start building my career immediately. Initially, I had a place at university to study geography, but the prospect of living at home, commuting over an hour to university, whilst still working the part-time job I hated and being broke seemed like the worst way to spend the next three years of my life. The apprenticeship route allowed me to start a professional career at age 18 and live on my own terms.
Moreover, the structured nature of apprenticeships, combined with on-the-job training and academic study, offers a more tailored and focused learning experience, aligning closely with my career goals. I prefer going to work during the day and then managing when I want to study; through these routes, we have study weeks to focus and attend lectures, but apart from that, I am not dictated to when and how I should study.
There are many benefits to an apprenticeship, but a transport planning apprenticeship is one of the most invaluable; it has given me experience across three companies, allowed me to study in Leeds and Birmingham and also allowed me to undertake research trips in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. After this year, I will be one of 13 people in the country who have taken this route, giving me a unique understanding of transport planning with the most tailored education to this profession by having nearly seven years in industry, an EngTech, BSc all in transport planning and close to fulfilling my TPP accreditation so I can be a chartered transport planner in the future.
Ultimately, I believe that the apprenticeship route provides a unique pathway to professional success, blending practical skills acquisition with academic knowledge to suit my learning style and career aspirations.