Insights 4 reasons you should consider a career in transport engineering
When was the last time you took a train, or drove anywhere?
We rely on good transport links to do everything from the daily commute to the weekly shop, and, whether or not we’re aware of it, we also depend on a team of expert transport engineers and planners to keep us connected. These engineers are responsible for fixing our bridges, building new links between our towns and cities, and helping us travel smarter: they are the unsung heroes of the engineering sector.
Walking the line between town planning, civil engineering and even architecture, working in transport makes for an exciting career. With demand for new engineers rising all the time, and hundreds of new projects on the horizon, it’s also a sector that needs fresh talent to help build the future. It’s therefore the perfect time to get involved in a job that will let you have a real impact on other people’s lives.
Here’s why transport engineering should be your next career move.
It’s always in demand
The engineering sector is extremely profitable, and it’s also growing. Engineering projects generate 23% of the UK’s total turnover, whilst 27% of companies in the UK are engineering-related. That’s a lot of business, and yet there’s also a shortage of candidates with the right engineering skills around the country.
There’s a reason for this heightened demand: in addition to upgrading the UK’s ageing infrastructure, many of the biggest upcoming engineering projects in the UK require transport engineers, such as HS2, or the Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme. Aiming to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 and construct new road networks and bridges within the area, to a cost of £1.5bn, this Improvement Scheme is a massive project that is certainly having a knock-on effect in the job market. Indeed, the demand for transport engineers is expected to increase by 20% in the next decade, making now the perfect time to make the most of these new opportunities.
It’s challenging
There’s no such thing as a stereotypical ‘transport engineer’. This sector actually contains a huge range of different jobs, all of which will let you test yourself and develop your skills in new environments. You can be a transport planner, working to improve and manage transport systems around the UK, or you can collaborate with local councils to design new transport facilities for schools, railways and more.
Regardless of what you choose to do, it’s a challenging job. A large part of your responsibilities as a transport engineer will revolve around problem solving: can you find the right way to improve the roads around a certain town, in a way that complies with environmental regulations and improves the quality of life for the people using it? You’ll be combining your analytical mind with your knowledge of town planning and engineering to create unique solutions that will help other people, often juggling multiple projects at the same time.
It’s cutting edge
When it comes to new technologies, there’s no more exciting place to be than transport engineering. One of the biggest pieces of software to impact the industry so far is Building Information Modelling, or BIM. This intelligent modelling process allows analysts to create intelligent, accurate, to-scale 3D renderings of new designs, online. They can be designed to incorporate stress points, plumbing and electricity systems, and even measure how extreme temperatures will affect the materials used. With 70% of engineers having already adopted it within the workplace, it’s clearly a valuable digital tool in a sector that is always looking for ways to optimise performance and maximise efficiency.
However, it’s not just the construction process that is undergoing somewhat of a revolution. The ongoing trend towards greater connectivity, culminating in the ‘Internet of Things’, points to a future with ‘smart’ roads that can alert local councils to potholes, thinning tarmac or even generate electricity using solar panels embedded into surfaces. Driverless cars are also on the horizon: the UK government wants to bring them into commercial use by 2021, and with the industry estimated to be worth £28bn by 2035, this enthusiastic embrace of the future is bound to have an effect on the role of the transport engineer. Indeed, city roads- and even our transport network- will likely have to be drastically reworked to suit this new, algorithm-driven method of travel, especially as some are speculating that they may be better suited to freight transport than inner-city travel.
With so much happening within transport, the sector remains full of possibilities for the future. For anybody wanting to make a start in engineering, there’s no more exciting place to be.
It’s varied
Transport engineering is a dynamic and exciting place to work, whatever your interests are. Whether you enjoy problem solving or directing operations from the ground as an engineering contractor, there are plenty of career paths for you to pursue. If you want to make sure that new developments are carried out in a sustainable way, working as an Environmental Planner might be perfect for you; alternatively, if you’d prefer to work on the future of travel, become an Airport Engineer.
There are also plenty of opportunities to work your way up the career ladder. As a transport planner, for instance, you can complete a professional qualification from the Transport Planning Society or the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and become a project manager or leader; still others choose to specialise in more software-oriented roles such transport modelling and become experts in their field. Whatever you want to do, transport engineering has the right role for you.
Start on the path to success with Atkins Global
Transport engineering is growing, and we want you to be a part of it. Find out more about what it means to work at one of the biggest and most dynamic engineering consultancies in the world at #InsideAtkins, and take the first step on your career journey with us by searching our vacancies in Transport Engineering.
Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis
Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests
Our articles
![the three pillars of sustainability](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_Xu26CRc709AQgjaEnvzHA/75/the+three+pillars+of+sustainability.jpg)
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
What are the three pillars of sustainability? When facing a challenge as mighty as sustainability, it's logical to break the topic into more manageable subtopics - like economic sustainability, envir
![A Picture of Kiran smiling.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/hye9y-sr3EhNNQjcE2fYDQ/75/Kiran+PC+Expo_3+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
At AtkinsRéalis, we are dedicated to shaping the future through innovative infrastructure projects that make a significant impact on communities around the world. We are excited to share the ex
![A Picture of Ashley smiling.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/efFOts4nE0kc7gjcek5B5w/75/Picture3.png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
From starting as a Civil and Structural Engineering Apprentice to leading major projects at AtkinsRéalis, Ashley’s career journey is a testament to the power of passion, leadership, and contin
![A picture of Bobby along with his dog at a café.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/f55pKSdvokbqdgjcsFVGjQ/75/BobbyMasonThumbnail+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/02/2024
Summary
Hello, my name is Bobby. After playing professional ice hockey in America and Europe I spent eight years as a Royal Navy submarine weapons and communications engineer. Towards the end of my su
![city at sunset with bridge going over a river](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_mh_o-Brc0S4_wjaU5OWRg/75/shutterstock_1078734461-min.jpg)
Preview
AustraliaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
The Australian market is an important growth area for AtkinsRéalis. Over the last 26 years, we have established a strong presence with offices across Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. AtkinsRéalis i
![image of ravikumar](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_Bf_F1ctS0oQMAjcyJi5pQ/75/Screenshot+2024-08-30+at+12.16.04.png)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
My rapid career progression and professional growth across engineering roles at AtkinsRéalis. Hello. I'm Ravikumar from AtkinsRéalis' Global Technology Centre (GTC) in India. As I write this, I'v
![image of bindu](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/cFm6WB0AAUp7XQjcyJ_1eA/75/WhatsApp+Image+2024-08-29+at+1.18.03+PM+(1)+(1).jpeg)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
Returning to work after a career break? Bindu shares how AtkinsRéalis can empower your return. Hi, I'm Bindu, an Account Lead at AtkinsRéalis in India. I manage a team of eight that handl
![image of sarah](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/4sECDNnYsEYixAjcyG4n0A/75/Sarah+3+(1).jpg)
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
How I grew my architectural roots into sustainable innovation: my rewarding career journey at AtkinsRéalis. Ahlan wa sahlan! My name is Sarah, and I work for AtkinsRéalis in Cairo. I began my jou
![image of sudhapriya](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/dNxZbtV-00worgjczLN1-Q/75/Sudha-tn.png)
Preview
AsiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
How I mix flexible working and family to thrive as a leader in the Nuclear New Build team. Hello, I'm Sudhapriya. I joined AtkinsRéalis in mid-2017 as contract staff on the Transportation team. A
![image of gobinath smiling](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/QPrib_nVaksivwjcyG4n0A/75/Gobinath+India+(1).jpg)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
My rapid career growth at AtkinRéalis from senior engineer to practice manager Nuclear New Build Hello! My name is Gobinath. I graduated from PSG College of Technology in 2008 as a gold medalist.
![A picture of Olu smiling](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/QhoVhIJjTk4_SQjctz8oMA/75/Olu3TN+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/27/2024
Summary
Hi, I'm Olutomide. I work with the Project & Programme Services team at AtkinsRéalis. As a Risk Consultant, I'm part of a diverse team that delivers major infrastructure projects and natio
![Yasmeen Mohammed portrait](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/0HGNDJnUaUpXjQjcxXh8cg/75/yasmeen2.jpg)
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/26/2024
Summary
Yasmeen Husain Mohamed is a dedicated professional in the field of Talent Acquisition, currently serving as an Advisor at AtkinsRéalis. Her career is built upon a foundation of fostering relatio
Related jobs
We are sorry but we currently have no jobs in this area.
Continue browsing to look at our other available opportunities
AtkinsRéalis
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We’re devoted to growing the diversity of our people, promoting an inclusive culture, providing everyone with an equal voice because simply put, it’s the right thing to do. Click to learn more.
Find out more