The Technicial Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC), supported by ACE, brings together engineering consultancy firms to enable them to meet their business needs through the recruitment and training of technician apprentices.

This year Aston University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has welcomed the UK’s first cohort of Transport Planning degree apprentices this September. TAC worked very hard with several employers and providers to develop the first Transport Planning Degree Apprenticeship. Aston University who are the lead provider are pleased to start 15 apprentices from our members and organisations across the UK including global engineering consultancies and local authorities.

Dr Lucy Rackliff, Course Director for the new programme said: ‘This is a really exciting step, for the transport planning profession, the students themselves, and for the university. The degree apprenticeship will develop highly skilled professionals whose expertise will be very much in demand as solutions are sought to transport system challenges such as improving sustainability and capacity whilst catering for the mobility needs of a diverse population.”

The majority of apprentices have recently completed their Level 3 Transport Planning Technician apprenticeship and the remaining new students are a mix of those who have joined Aston and their employer fresh from A Levels, and those with more experience who are ready for a new academic challenge. The programme, which was designed in close partnership with the Institute for Apprenticeships’ trailblazer group will support apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to become professional members of the Transport Planning community.

Aston University will teach the programme through a combination of on-campus sessions taught in blocks, complemented by online learning. The apprenticeship is taught over five years and is funded by the apprenticeship levy so apprentices have no tuition fees to pay.

Full details about the new programme can be found on the course page and applications for the September 2020 cohort are open now.