As transport planners, we're involved from the very start. It can take years before a project is completed. But seeing a project come to life and benefit people’s daily routines is incredibly rewarding.
Collaboration, flexibility, excellence.
I really enjoy the collaborative culture. I have found that you can reach out to almost anyone around the world and they are willing to provide their time and expertise to help out.
I’m a transport planner, which involves establishing the strategy, policy, and plans to make it easier for people to get around, as well as designing the supporting infrastructure and services. My specialism is cycling, which is something that I kind of fell into in my first job, but now my friends and colleagues all think of me as ‘the cycling guy’.
The transport team in New Zealand had only been established six months before I joined, and I was attracted by the opportunity to help build the team from scratch. Being able to have a tangible impact on the success of the organisation was really appealing, as was the independence that comes from employee-ownership.
I feel like I have been given the freedom and responsibility to take on the challenges that appeal to me. As a result, I have been able to pursue opportunities that align with my professional interests and become recognised as a specialist in this area.
You’re in charge of your own career, and that means both identifying the direction you want to take and plotting a course to achieve those goals.But, also making the most of opportunities that come your way, even if they weren’t part of the original plan!
I always like to get the basics right and then build from there. I try to keep a close eye on emerging trends and approaches both locally and globally and look for ways to adapt and integrate this thinking into my work.
My typical projects are usually aimed at making it easier for people to travel in more sustainable ways that have less of an impact on the environment. This might be through designing safe cycleways, developing initiatives to help encourage people to change how they travel, reducing car dependence, or securing government funding for new cycling and public transport projects.
I spent a year working for Mott MacDonald in Edinburgh and was fortunate to travel to Shetland for a few days for one of our projects. The landscape was amazing, and the project meant we got to see a lot of the island (or as much as you can see in the six hours of daylight you get in December).
Transport planners are typically involved at the start of projects which means it can take a long time to see the impact of our work. This makes it more rewarding when things you have worked on finally get built or come into practice. Being a part of the Mott MacDonald Emerging Leaders programme and becoming a Full Member of the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) are other big career highlights.
I am the transport planning practice lead for New Zealand, which means I am responsible for promoting technical excellence and innovation within the discipline locally. I am also our Asia Pacific, New Zealand and Australia active transport lead and work closely with colleagues across the region to share our technical skills and expertise.
We are looking for enthusiastic, inspiring, and committed people to join our growing team.