Happy to have been able to facilitate this discussion on an important issue for the future of the sector.
Senior Transport Planner and Environmental Consultant at Mayer Brown Ltd, a leading consultancy for Transport Planning and Environmental Assessment
On the 23rd of May, I had the pleasure of speaking at Traffex on behalf of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT). The panel subject was "How can we attract and support young professionals to the industry?" and it was great to discuss the matter with Sharad D Kerai, Ashik Mohammed Nazar, Steve Spender, Ann Carruthers, Kane St Quintin and Alistair Gollop FIHE MIET. It was agreed that there are presently a number of barriers to attracting young professionals into the industry in both the private and public sector. However, discussions also highlighted the various tools at our disposal to both attract and retain new talent. Some examples included: ⭐ Refresh the job application stage - job applications could look visually more attractive and appealing to younger audiences. Social media platforms other than LinkedIn should be considered for advertising opportunities. ⭐ Better promote the wide range of roles within the industry, and skill sets desired. It isn't all "hard hats and hi vis", there is a place for everyone. ⭐ Empower individuals from the moment they enrol to enhance retention. Reverse mentoring schemes enable young professionals to share the digital skills our sector urgently needs with their team while simultaneously acquiring "on the job" skills. ⭐ Though typically the first to be cut in times of financial uncertainty, protecting training budgets and establishing clear training pathways reassures young professionals that they have the opportunity to flourish and grow their careers in the industry. I'm hopeful that these suggestions will have a positive impact on attracting and supporting young professionals into the transport sector!
