Because I know you've all been dying to know...here's what I'm up to as a Graduate Transport Planner at Transport for London. Basically, the programme I'm in is a two-year "development scheme" that consists of 4 six-month placements and a graduate degree (I'm still contemplating this one...do I really want to get another master's?), before setting us up with a "real job". The cool thing about it all is that you get a good feel for the entire agency and can work in a wide range of departments. It's like the TfL taster menu.
For my first placement, which I've been on since September, I am a Network Development
Planner with the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) Planning Unit. The department basically does what its name sounds like - it's in charge of coordinating all the plans on the Transport for London road network (we own the roads!), from the various "modal clients": bus priority, walking and accessibility, road safety, and cycling. I'm currently project managing about 5 proposals right now, which means I set up and run a lot of meetings, keep track of proposal finances, and make sure the clients (who sponsor the proposals) stay in line. It's also been a good way to explore South London, which I know nearly nothing about - and the twice-weekly site vists to do so are a good way to get out of the office and see what improvements need to be made firsthand.
My department is basically a brand-new one (they've only been around a month longer than I have) as a result of some internal restructuring, so we're all really finding our feet together, from the senior managers to the new grads. It means that sometimes things can be a little confusing, but it's also presented a lot of opportunities to have substantial input into the way the department does things. I really like all my coworkers, and it's hard to think that in less than 5
months I'll be moving on to my next placement.
Perks of the job that I was delighted to discover include free travel within London, discounts on the Eurostar, and some random ones, like dicounts at the London Zoo and free membership to local gyms. My building is brand new and has all sorts of energy-saving features, which mainly seem to be centered on my floor (it's always freezing!). While it's not quite Google, we have some fun features like "breakout areas" on each floor for impromptu meetings and over 200 bike parking spaces in the basement (not quite enough to get me to cycle among London drivers, though!)
It's also cool to be part of such a huge organization. There's yoga classes in the ground-floor conference rooms at work, which means that I just have to duck downstairs after work for some exercise. There's a Transport Choir, which I am seriously thinking of joining since they do a fantastic carol service at St. Martins-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square. (Finally, a way to join all my nerdy pursuits in one place...transportation and choral music!) And because a blog post wouldnt be complete without a mention of food, I also want to rave about the subsidized canteens throughout TfL - originally for the transit drivers to eat at, they're in every office building as well, and they serve cheap and pretty tasty food. Hey, I'm not going to complain about apple crumble for only 55 pence!
Anyway, that's about it...will update in about 6 months when I finally get a handle on what I'm supposed to be doing in my second placement - which is still as of now a mystery. Wish me luck!
