This week we are giving recognition to all the amazing people who are selflessly volunteering to help and support people in their communities by sharing the great work of just some of the amazing volunteers we have at PJA.
In our final article of the week, Claire Harrison, a Transport Planning Associate in our Reading office talks about her work with the Education Business Partnership (EBP):
“I have been working with the EBP to motivate female students to consider a possible future STEM career.
As part of EBP’s ‘Girls in High Tech’ programme I visited several local schools across Berkshire with two colleagues to talk to girls about the role of engineers and transport planners, and to explain the challenges and excitement of major projects.
During these workshops the students were given 30 minutes to carry out a masterplanning exercise to create their own town with houses, shops, health services and transport links, with a variety of challenges to consider such as impacts on flood plains, AONB’s, SSI’s and where energy for their town might come from. The students worked well together in groups to come up with ideas of what was needed for their towns. These challenges are faced every day by transport planners.
The second task required the students to build the tallest giraffe from paper straws and masking tape. With only 20 minutes, the students had to think quickly about the structural design of their giraffe; how was the head to be supported? How will long legs by kept sturdy?
Both exercises built upon teamwork, time management, leadership skills and working with new people.
It is very rewarding to work with the students and to try and get across our passion for the industry and to help inspire the next generation.
Overall, this is an extremely positive experience for both the students and myself, as a STEM volunteer.
Unfortunately, these projects have been put on hold over the past year due to the pandemic. They are trying to go online and run virtual workshops in the meantime until workshops within schools can resume safely.”
Find out more about Education Business Partnership here
For more information on this, or on our transport planning services, please contact: [email protected]
Claire Harrison, BSc (Hons) MSc MCIHT
Claire has over 16 years experience in the transport planning sector with a varied portfolio that includes urban extensions, commercial, retail, education and residential developments. She has a successful track record working for private sector clients specialising in Transport Assessments, Transport Statements, Travel Plans and supporting projects through the local planning process. She has vast experience in the implementation of Residential and Site Wide Travel Plans across various sites in the UK as part of a Travel Plan Co-ordinator role. She is the first in the Country to be awarded the Modeshift STARS Bronze Accreditation for sustainable travel initiatives for a Travel Plan site in Ipswich.
Read our other Volunteer Recognition Day articles here
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