CIHT and various industry partners are helping young people to learn more about opportunities in the transport sector with the launch of a new ‘virtual world’ on careers website Plotr.
The Transport Careers virtual world has been created by the Institution alongside Transport for London, Network Rail, High Speed 2, the National Skills Academy for Rail and the Young Rail Professionals.
It enables 11-24 year olds to view the diverse range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers that are available with employers of all sizes from across the industry.
It also highlights the roles where there are or will be skills shortages and demonstrates how transportation professionals make a difference to customers and a range of communities.
"To encourage people to find out more about employment opportunities in our industry, we must raise awareness of the variety of interesting job roles and exciting career paths on offer in a way that catches the imagination,” commented CIHT chief executive Sue Percy.
She explained that the transport infrastructure sector is suffering severe skills shortages at a time when investment in major projects is increasing and the demand for skilled technicians, planners, designers, engineers and managers is growing.
“There is no ‘quick fix’ to solving skills shortages,” she added. “Finding, training, retaining and developing the next generation of highways and transportation professionals will take time but initiatives like this one will help to achieve our long term skills goal.”
Transport for London’s director of human resources Tricia Riley said: “We are hoping that this virtual world will encourage young people to think outside the box about their future and that young women, in particular, will consider roles such as engineering that tend to be male dominated.”
Network Rail’s new entrant schemes client partner Linsey Perry added: “We hope it will change the perception that the industry doesn’t have careers that young people will find appealing.”
To view the Transport Careers virtual world click here.
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