AECOM's Jennifer Aument helms exciting transportation projects

AECOM is a progressive employer that's committed to achieving net-zero emissions, improving social outcomes for its clients and communities, and fostering a culture of inclusion and respect.

In partnership with its clients, AECOM is improving mobility, creating sustainable outcomes, and delivering industry firsts.

Jennifer Aument, Global Transportation Chief Executive, highlights how AECOM works with, "courageous clients who are delivering first of their kind solutions."

Bringing AECOM's expertise to the table

"AECOM teams get excited about working with government clients who are willing to take the helm on something brand new. This is where we can work with our local team and bring that expertise to the table, while taking lessons learned from clients all over the world to be able to make these projects successful" explains Jennifer.

When discussing how the company partners as trusted advisors to deliver complex transportation solutions, Jennifer says that the only thing you can expect in delivering a complex multi-million dollar project is the unexpected.

"For those of us who've been down this road, we know that plans are just that. When you're in the delivery stage and things get real, it's critical that you have an experienced partner beside you that can be in that problem-solving mode, that can be flexible, and they can work in partnership with you to be able to overcome the inevitable challenges associated with these kinds of projects," she comments.

An exciting time in transportation

"At AECOM we do a lot of partnering with government and that's a very special relationship. We understand the high stakes when you have a government decision maker that's brave enough to tee up a large transformational transportation project, it's tough. We understand that it's not just this individual that we're working with, but we need to be conscious of and deliver to the expectations of all the constituents that that government must serve."

"How exciting that we're in a time in transportation where there is so much work to do, and none of us can do it alone," says Jennifer.

Positively impacting communities

Jennifer explains that those who have spent their careers working on mega transportation projects know that regional solutions have local impacts.

"That's why one of the most critical aspects of project development and delivery is being out in the community with local neighbors helping to bridge the gap between the regional solution that you're trying to deliver, and the local impacts that they must endure during that short-time period of time," explains Jennifer.

"AECOM has found that the best way to be successful in delivering multi-billion dollar programs is not to make community engagement about that public hearing in the beginning of a job, but to foster long-term genuine engagement with the communities that we serve as we work to deliver these transportation solutions.

"That means engaging them in critical parts of the project, like management of traffic, to make sure that we can keep the construction moving and keep those neighborhoods thriving at the same time. It means working closely on the design of the project to come up with solutions along the way that will have less impacts both to the community and to the environment holistically."

A broad understanding of project management

Jennifer shares how the AECOM team is pushing the limits of what's possible.

"One of the most exciting things about working in transportation at AECOM right now is that we are seeing clients all over the world embark on the first time delivery of lanes for autonomous vehicles. The first time delivery of new travel options, including personal air travel options, the first time delivery of high-speed trains," she explains.

Jennifer concludes, "You know there's nothing like being at the helm of a project that is a first, but those kinds of projects take resilience, they take technical acumen, they take a broad understand of every aspect of project management in terms of the community engagement to technical solutions to technology systems."