Why did you want to become a Transport Planner?

I wanted a job where I could use my Geography skills. After completing a sustainable transportation module in Canada – transport planning seemed the right fit.

What do you enjoy most about your work as a Transport Planner?

I enjoy that transport planning is a multifaceted discipline and the breadth of projects you can work on.

I enjoy that transport planning is a multifaceted discipline and the breadth of projects you can work on.

According to the European Commission (2017), just 20% of those working in the UK transport sector are female. How does it feel to be a woman in such a male-dominated sector?

I’m fortunate that people who have worked in the sector a lot longer than I have, have worked hard to promote equal opportunities and I’m grateful to now be able to contribute to that further.

Have there been challenges on your road to becoming a Transport Planner which you have faced due to being a woman? (How) have you overcome these?

Fortunately, I haven’t directly faced challenges due to being a woman. However, I don’t think that the same can be said for women further on in their careers or those who want to return to the industry after a career break. 

I’m fortunate that people who have worked in the sector a lot longer than I have, have worked hard to promote equal opportunities.

Why is female talent so crucial to the highways & transportation industry?

We need a mixture of people in the room (across all demographics, not just gender) so that we are better able to understand and plan for all users experiences. 

According to the Strategic Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (2019), female representation in transport apprenticeships (technical & engineering apprenticeships) is below 16%. What can companies and organisations do to encourage more girls & women into transport roles?

We need to showcase the diversity of the sector, including the environmental and social aspects, as well as have more senior women role models to encourage a greater uptake in STEM/transport careers. In our Toolkit we include reference to STEM ambassadors and other considerations for increasing the uptake of transport careers by girls.

We need a mixture of people in the room (across all demographics, not just gender) so that we are better able to understand and plan for all users experiences.

Do you have an #EngineeringHero? If yes, who is it?

The ones that spring to mind are all men!

What advice would you give someone who would like to get into transport planning or is considering completing a transport qualification?

If you like connecting people and place, solving problems, and impacting people’s lives – then go for it! Now is the best time to get involved with a range of careers available.

Molly Hoggard, Graduate Transport Planner at Mott MacDonald. 

Molly is part of the team who have developed the Gender Equality Toolkit In Transport (GET IT) a finalist in this years The Future Transport Visions Group competition.

The Future Transport Visions Group is an annual research and development competition funded by the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund that encourages early career professionals across the transport industry to explore the challenges and opportunities posed by ongoing changes in the world around them.

For more information visit here. 

To see if the Gender Equality Toolkit is successful secure your place on the FTVG Project Showcase and Awards event July 6^th by visiting here.

References

1. European Commission (2017)

2. Strategic Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (2019)

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