As Development Transport Planner at AECOM, Caitlin Turley enjoys being a part of the successful projects that have made a positive impact on her local area. Being a young woman in transport, Caitlin may be in the minority, but she believes being a woman should never be a barrier to achieving a successful career in this industry.

Assessing and developing solutions 

"My role sits within the development planning team which sits within AECOM Spatial Planning and Advisory Team. I work with multidisciplinary teams on a range of different projects, mainly involving mixed use developments, providing transport planning and design advice during the development of masterplans and access studies. As part of this we assess and develop solutions to mitigate against the impact of developments on the surrounding transport network through engineering design but also by promoting sustainable transport as an attractive option over private car use. We work with planners and architects on a project to develop solutions to make areas of public realm to be used in a multifunctional and efficient way by pedestrians but also to address servicing requirements of a development. I also work on county-wide infrastructure projects assessing the ability for infrastructure to support planned economic and housing growth across the area," explains Caitlin.

Physics and maths was a great starting point

"In secondary school I was really split between going down a more scientific route or psychology. I didn’t really think of engineering as an option, until my dad pointed out that my interest in physics and maths was a great starting point. When applying for universities I still wasn’t sure which stream of engineering, so I focused on ones that offered general engineering. I found out quite quickly that electrical engineering wasn’t for me, but it my third year after deciding to specialise in civil engineering I realised this was a really interesting career opportunities. This was further cemented by my design project, working with a member of the highway bridge team from Newcastle; I found the whole task really interesting, seeing the theory applied in reality."

Rewarding work

"I tend to do a lot of work focused in the London Borough of Hackney and Tower Hamlets, near where I live and work. Watching the area change so rapidly, some of which I was involved with is really rewarding. In ten years and the whole area will be regenerated and I will be able to walk around knowing I played a part."

Seamless operation

"I think a lot of transport gets over looked until it goes wrong, but it really is so important to ensure new developments and areas operate seamlessly and that we provide a great space for all modes to enjoy simultaneously, without allowing private vehicles to dominate."

Optimism over negativity

"I would definitely say I thrive better in a social work environment, which I’ve always had at AECOM. I try and defuse tension and stress, I think being optimistic is always more effective than thinking negatively. I’m always looking to help out people in my team when they are under pressure to achieve a task in tight timescales."

Discover something new

"Always be ready to take on more responsibility, even if you haven’t done the specific task before, people understand and aren’t waiting for you to fail, they are there to support and help you grow. You may find it challenging but that’s all part and parcel of it, you might discover something you really like but never considered before. If you feel like you’re going stagnant in a role, always let you’re manager know, no one’s a mind reader."

Fast-changing industry

"There are so many different routes you can go down in engineering, the industry is changing at a very fast rate, with lots of different specialisms and being a woman should never be a barrier to achieving a successful career in this industry."

Women like Caitlin truly thrive in their careers at AECOM. Discover for yourself the current vacancies on offer.

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