Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I am a trained Bollywood Dancer teaching children in my free time and I can speak four languages.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
I was born into a family of engineers and often visited my father’s office and site. I was fascinated by mega structures and inter-connected infrastructure. My interest grew during my holiday to London where I noticed magnificent historic transport structures like Tower Bridge and the London Underground that have been operating efficiently since Victorian times. I wanted to be part of building a better world and took up engineering straight after school. I chose a career in transportation and engineering as I believe it is essential for a nation’s economic development and for us to be a well-connected society.

What do you enjoy most?
In my career as an Asset Management Consultant I enjoy finding real solutions to infrastructure challenges that have an impact on society as a whole, using sound engineering and analytical skills. I can influence the improvement of future-proofing Britain’s infrastructure by considering risk and resilience. This was the subject of my PhD research and my career is supporting me put that knowledge into practice and driving innovation.

What is your greatest career achievement?
I was responsible for planning, design, value management and delivery of earthwork remediation projects for five schemes on England’s strategic road network to alleviate congestion and improve safety as a part of the Pinch Point Programme delivered by Highways Agency (now Highways England). The projects were worth £5 million on a tight programme of 18 months. I project managed and designed the scheme whilst studying part time for my PhD in asset management. The project was delivered on time and budget by working with multi-disciplinary engineering teams, through which I gained an understanding of cross-asset engineering. I was awarded the NCE Young Geotechnical Engineer of the Year Award and I published a paper on my research which won the best paper award.

What are your favourite projects?
My favourite projects include scoping, designing and delivering the earthwork remediation scheme on the M42. The client complimented the work for undertaking sustainability assessments along with cost and technical feasibility studies. I have also delivered effective asset management solutions for the UK’s local highways authorities. Being able to embed resilience and enable long term planning in devising transport solutions are a favourite part of my work.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I have been a post graduate mentor for students in the Civil Engineering school at the University of Birmingham for two years. I offer guidance as an industrial supervisor for MSc projects. I volunteer as an Education Co-ordinator for CIHT West Midlands where I promote CIHT and motivate young students to take up careers in transportation.
I will continue to collaborate with universities by sharing practical knowledge gained from live projects and promoting innovation through research and development.
The message of equal opportunities for men and women should be shared with students and budding engineers.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Demonstrating how transport and engineering have a strong impact on the growing economy, well connected infrastructure and connecting national and global societies. Building the physical world is exciting and rewarding and provides a stable and fulfilling career with opportunities to develop nationally and internationally.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
The future of transport includes autonomous vehicles, digitally enabled transportation network and high speed transportation such as high speed rail and hyper loop. We will have well-connected integrated transport systems which will enable well informed commuters to seamlessly access different modes of transportation.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT as a professional body enables transport professionals to become professionally qualified and offers a platform to gain industry recognition.
The annual CIHT Awards recognise good work. The ‘Young Professional’ Awards category is a real motivator for budding engineers. Young Professionals who are members of CIHT may nominate themselves for the award or be nominated by their CIHT Region or their employer. It inspires the next generation by sharing their career experience with the Careers Toolkit to schools, colleges and universities. CIHT encourages member organisations to sign their Diversity & Inclusion Charter.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I was one of four women who studied civil engineering out of a class of 40 guys. As a young girl I aspired to become a writer and only got round to it as an adult. I published my first book (a memoir) in eight months from start to finish. Now I regularly blog online.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
Engineering is a subject that I have been interested in since secondary school. So when I got my SSCE results (equivalent to GCSE) with the required grades it was an easy decision to apply for a civil engineering course at university.

What do you enjoy most?
Seeing varied road and highway projects with similar yet unique characteristics. It is also rewarding seeing a project on which you played a key role as part of an expert team come to an end. You get a great sense of accomplishment, team work and pride.

What is your greatest career achievement?
To achieve my dream of becoming an engineering graduate and a project manager. This came about only because I worked very hard and did not give up despite the challenges I faced.

What is your favourite project?
The A5-M1 link Dunstable Northern Bypass stands out for me as my first project as a fully- fledged project manager. It was a successful major project with typical challenges that was delivered to time, budget and quality. I met and worked with people with different specialisations who helped bring about a successful delivery. As my baby project it opened the way for me.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
It takes three words: Dream, Believe and Achieve. I believe I can encourage the younger generation through my personal career story of determination, dreams and hard work. I am a mentor to pupils in primary and secondary schools and university students. I offer them detailed and practical knowledge about the industry, encourage discussions and answer questions about career choices. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Awareness and role models. We need to help young people see beyond barriers to match their inherent skills to engineering courses. Studying engineering is not about one broad course but about different branches such as mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, petrochemical engineering and biomedical engineering. Knowing about the different fields and specialisations makes the professional seem less intimidating.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
To get better engagement and more interest we need to start at an early age. This can and should be done in Years 5 and 6 to get pupils thinking on the right lines ahead of Secondary School. Bringing professionals into school to talk about and demonstrate aspects of their work will help pupils think more about their career choices.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT provides support through high quality events-awareness and networking opportunities held across the country that educate and motivate members. CIHT provides all members with mentoring, resources and tips to develop as professionals. This support offers members a sense of professional fellowship and confidence to aim for and achieve their goals.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I joined the transportation industry as a call handler within the West Midlands Highways England Traffic Officer control centre.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
Diversity of work and the opportunity to work with a wide range of interesting people.

What do you enjoy most?
I get to move around and see lots of different projects.

What is your greatest career achievement?
To date it would be my current role at Birmingham Airport leading some of their more complex and challenging projects.

What is your favourite project?
I would say the Smart Motorway Programme. We developed a programme that would be rolled out nationally and would have a big benefit for drivers across the country.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
Showing young people that there are different types of jobs and routes to development within the industry.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Diversity of roles and experiences.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
This is an ever changing environment. As new construction and design techniques evolve there will be different types of skills and roles to meet new requirements.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT provides a structure to communicate ideas and experiences. It supports continual growth in learning about transport.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I was in a gospel choir that sang Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ on BBC1.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
I wanted a career that would be both challenging and exciting.

What do you enjoy most?
I love the fact that every day is different.

What is your greatest career achievement?
Being the project manager on really interesting projects and becoming a Chartered Engineer.

What are your favourite projects?
M5J4 Pinch Point Project and M42J6 Pinch Point.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I volunteer to visit schools to talk about the exciting careers in transportation and engineering.

What will inspire young people to consider a career in transportation?
School visits and social media.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
Automated vehicles.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT provides support by holding events on various interesting topics, holding networking events and providing updates on how the Institution is influencing the sector and government.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
When I was an engineering student in France, I took part in a car rally in the Moroccan desert to help build two schools. While living in Canada I learned how to build a house using straw balls.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
I loved the idea of designing the landscape of tomorrow.

What do you enjoy most?
You can use your engineering skills anywhere in the world. Also, in transportation and engineering no two days are the same! With transport and engineering there is so much more to discover.

What is your greatest career achievement?
I produced detailed design packages for several junction improvement schemes such as Haden Circus and Bordesley Circus.

What is you favourite project?
The Birmingham Cycle Revolution

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I want to show all young people that a career in engineering is fun and exciting with endless opportunities.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
I think it is important to show to people that transportation and engineering are not only about maths and being outside building stuff. There is so much more to discover.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
I would expect (and hope for) a much more environmentally focused approach in the coming years. I think a lot is going to be done in renewable energy and I believe we will also see a shift in transportation modes.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT helps me to get in touch with other professionals in the industry and stay focused on my career goals.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
With my four-year-old daughter, I do all the creative activities I loved as a child - building sand castles, cutting and pasting shapes, painting and colouring. It’s a flashback to my own childhood.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
As a child, I was fascinated by what roads and building are made from and why planes fly from a special place like an airport. I took a keen interest in engineering and did a civil engineering degree. I selected transportation engineering as it involves a broader spectrum of engineering disciplines such as the environment, structures, traffic and geotechnical (the engineering behaviour of earth materials) which makes it more diverse.

What do you enjoy most?
I have over 13 years working on projects in the UK and the Middle East and I enjoy leading complex and technically challenging projects that make me think outside the box. I also enjoy mentoring graduates, apprentices and other engineers.

What is your greatest career achievement?
My greatest achievement is achieving Chartered Engineer status in 2016 and completing my NEBOSH occupational Safety and Health exam in 2017.

What are your favourite projects?
The Pinch Point Programme schemes for A49 Hereford. I led the team and designed all three A49 schemes. I learned a lot about environmental constraints, stakeholder liaison and statutory procedures. We had immense pressure to deliver on time and within budget. Working under pressure brings out your true potential and skills.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I am a Parent Governor at my daughter’s school and I plan to encourage the interest in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). I will also ask other engineers to visit the school with interesting presentations on transport engineering projects.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Young people are into technology so we have to explain how transport and engineering have become tech-friendly. I use a smart tablet during a site visit to record and identify all the issues on a section of road using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite-based navigation system. This allows for more accurate design.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
Government, companies and social media all promote the benefits of transport and engineering. I think young people will become more involved with STEM subjects and many will take up engineering as a profession. Apprenticeships are a good way of creating future engineers.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT provides good support to its members with advice and prompt responses.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
When I was a student I worked on the construction of the Humber Bridge, which was at that time the largest suspension bridge in the world. I was the first woman to be appointed the Chief Highway Engineer for the strategic road network in England.

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
I wanted a career that allowed me to make practical use of my interest in science and maths. After working on the Humber Bridge, I became fascinated by civil engineering and then transportation after training at the West Midlands County Council in Birmingham.

What do you enjoy most?
The most enjoyable aspects of my career have been about creating and delivering things that are important to people’s everyday life.

What is your greatest career achievement?
Working as part of a number of great teams of people over the years that have delivered services, programmes or projects that have helped make transport better for people.

What are your favourite projects?
Working on the Humber Bridge was very exciting and was a big influence on what I chose to do as a career. I really enjoyed working on the Birmingham Airport Development. Most recently I have worked on many motorway projects. My favourite are those connected with the M25 my ‘local motorway!

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I am working with CIHT as there are so many different careers in transport and I want to help make these better known to people looking for jobs in the future.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Knowing that they can make a difference to how we all live.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
The impact of technology on how we travel will make travelling easier and more accessible for everyone.

How do you think CIHT provides support to its members?
CIHT provides a way for people to link up to work together in transport and engineering. It supports learning at all times. The friendly and inclusive approach means that it is a welcoming organisation that supports members at different stages of their career.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I come from a family who work in transport including my dad, brother, my husband and me!

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
It is an exciting place to work. It is fascinating to see a project being talked about, designed and built to make a real difference to the communities in which we live. My mum always said to me that if I work hard, I can achieve anything and that has inspired me throughout my career.

What do you enjoy most?
I enjoy the range of projects I get to work on. One day I will be planning with a team how we are going to communicate about a particular project, and another day, I can be out taking interesting photographs of work.

What is your greatest career achievement?
Being shortlisted for an award for my project in improving communication.

What are your favourite projects?
The first big project that I worked on was supporting communications for the closure of Birmingham’s main city centre tunnels. I learnt a lot that I have taken forward to other pieces of work. I also planned and delivered a Twitter campaign promoting why it is great for women to work in highways and transportation for National Women in Engineering Day 2016 which opened up links with CIHT.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I would like to champion transport as an accessible career. I have pledged to become a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Ambassador which involves spending time in schools showing how great it is to work in transport and engineering.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Showing children the opportunities that are available in transport for people from diverse backgrounds and with different skills.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
I want to see more engineering on the school curriculum at a younger age to encourage innovation.

How do you think CIHT supports its members?
CIHT supports its members by providing opportunities to meet and learn from each other.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I moved to the UK on my own when I was 18 years old. It was the bravest and at the same time the scariest thing I have ever done but it turned out to be a success!

Why did you choose a career in transportation?
To help shape/transform the world. There is a big spaghetti junction close to where my parents live and I was fascinated by it as a child.

What do you enjoy most?
Creating things that you can quickly see becoming a reality. In construction, you can help with a project from the start and see it become a reality within months.

What is your greatest career achievement?
I am still at the start of my career. I am proud of working in a company that supports me and that is giving me a lot of room to grow and develop.

What is your favourite project?
I work on the physical and mechanical testing of materials including those used in airfields such as the work Tarmac did at RAF Waddington on the 2.7km long runway.

How can you personally get young people interested in transportation?
I carry out STEM activities to inspire young people to pursue careers in transport and engineering. I usually take road samples with me to try to broaden their understanding of the world and to make them challenge what they see and wonder what is underneath it.

What will inspire young people to consider careers in transportation?
Enthusiasm is key. Knowledge and experience come with time, but being enthusiastic and passionate cannot be learnt.

What changes do you predict for transportation in the future?
People with good computer skills are required to explore the new technology! Also, there is a big challenge to make transport easier for people. I find that is something worth thinking about.

How do you think CIHT supports its members?
CIHT provides support to its members in many ways. For me, it is providing me with support to obtain professional qualifications so that I can move further up in my career. CIHT organises talks and workshops to help spread new knowledge and to make its members aware of local projects going on in their area or nationally.