Our wonderful team are our greatest asset. Not only experts in transport, engineering and placemaking but also committed to delivering better places for people through high-level-service client experiences.
We’re very proud to continue to celebrate the faces behind the fast-growing international consultancy that we are today in our monthly feature ‘PJA People’.
Next up in our series is Senior Consultant, Jane Overton, based in our Birmingham office:
Tell us what you do at PJA
I’m a Senior Consultant in the Birmingham Transport Planning Team. I predominantly work in development planning – providing transport advice to clients throughout the planning process and preparing Transport Assessments, Statements and Travel Plans for a range of land uses. Recently, I’ve been getting involved in more public sector work, which has included assisting in the preparation of an Outline Business Case for a Levelling Up Fund bid and some public realm improvement works in Birmingham.
What’s your career path so far?
I studied Geography at Durham University, and graduated in 2015. I took a graduate role with Atkins in Birmingham, before starting at PJA in March 2019. Throughout the first six years of my career, I’ve really enjoyed getting involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities, for example, carrying out workshops in local schools, attending career fairs and tutoring GCSE / A Level students in Geography and Maths.
What do you enjoy when you’re not working?
I play the flute in a local Concert Band and Flute Choir, and also sit on the committee for both groups, which takes up a lot of my free time. We will be particularly busy over Christmas playing carols in festive attire whilst collecting money for Macmillan, and then warming up in the pub afterwards!
I am also a keen baker – although people in the office would probably say I don’t bring in enough home-baked goods for them to try…
Are you a dog or cat person?
Unfortunately, I’m in the minority of people who aren’t a fan of cats or dogs, but I’ll happily watch videos of them doing funny things though!
What are you currently reading or listening to?
I’m currently reading ‘Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Defined for Men’ by Caroline Criado Perez. As a woman in transport who uses a range of data on a daily basis, it’s really opened my eyes to potential sources of data bias although it may not seem it at first – who would’ve thought that clearing snow from Swedish streets could ignite a debate on gender equality!
I’m currently listening to the music from Polar Express and Home Alone to try and get my head around some tricky rhythms ready for our Concert Band Christmas concert.
Claim to fame?
Whilst in sixth form, a group of us got nominated for a national award after creating a sensory garden in a care home. At the awards ceremony, we met Princess Anne and she asked me whether we grew brussels sprouts in the garden. Whilst she’s probably met millions of people, it’s the biggest claim to fame I have!
Jane Overton, Senior Consultant
Jane is a Senior Consultant, who joined the team in 2019. She has over 5 years’ experience working for a range of public and private sector clients primarily in development planning, but also in scheme appraisal, travel planning and transport modelling.
Jane’s key skills include junction modelling, accessibility analysis and travel demand forecasting to support the preparation of Transport Assessments and other technical documents for a range of developments including residential, education and employment land uses.
Get in touch with Jane: [email protected]
To find out more about our transport services here
Read more in our PJA People series here
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