TPP and Professional Development Workshop Martin Richards TPP Director – Skills TPS Birmingham 29 March 2011

The Running Order The TPS Professional Development Scheme and the TPP Qualification The TPP Qualification: The Professional Review Routes Two TPP Fundamentals The Portfolio of Technical Knowledge (PTK) The Portfolio of Evidence The Professional Review Interview Some Additional Points on the TPP The TPS Professional Development Scheme Questions are welcome at any point

What are the TPS Professional Development Scheme and the TPP Qualification? The TPS Professional Development Scheme (PDS) is a training scheme – designed to provide a structured pathway to obtaining a broad range of professional competences The TPP is a professional qualification awarded to someone who can demonstrate that they have the ability and professional commitment to work and be recognised as a professional transport planner  Two key, related but different stages of professional development

Who manages the TPS PDS and the TPP Qualification? The TPS PDS is managed by the Transport Planning Society (TPS) –working with employers who are licensed PDS users The TPP qualification is –awarded jointly by TPS and the Chartered Institution of Highways Transportation (CIHT) –managed by a Professional Standards Committee, with members from both CIHT and TPS –administered by CIHT on behalf of the Professional Standards Committee

Who Uses the TPS PDS? 22 employers, with PDS licences Arup Atkins Colin Buchanan Halcrow Hampshire CC Hyder Consulting Integrated Transport Planning Jacobs Consultancy JMP Consulting Leicestershire CC Mayer Brown Mott MacDonald, Mouchel MVA Consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff, Peter Brett Associates PFA Consulting Ramboll RPS Transport for London URS WSP Including 14 of the NCE Top 20 consultants

Questions

The TPP Qualification: The Professional Review Routes

Step 1 - Do you have a degree? Yes Is it –a UK Honours degree? –an equivalent from another country? –an approved Transport Masters? If not you need to prepare and submit a Technical Report as a first step towards the TPP

Step 2 - Are you signed up to the TPS PDS? If you do not need to submit a Technical Report and you are following the TPS PDS, you can submit for your Professional Review interview once you have completed the PDS and you are confident that you have sufficient additional experience – including Proficiency. You do not need to submit a Portfolio of Technical Knowledge But you will need additional experience beyond completion of the PDS, to extend your Proficiency, particularly in management, of people and of projects. This is by design; having completed the PDS, you should pursue your career in the main areas that interest you, while obtaining the extra experience

Steps 3 and 4 - Do you have and approved Transport Masters? Yes once you have sufficient experience (including Proficiency), you can prepare and submit for your Professional Review interview No Unless you are planning to complete the TPS PDS, you must first submit a Portfolio of Technical Knowledge

All the TPP Routes

Questions

Two TPP Fundamentals

The TPP (and PDS) Competence Levels AAwarenessa general understanding of the area, including an appreciation of its relevance KKnowledgean understanding of how a requirement can be satisfied, in addition to the general understanding and appreciation EExperiencean ability to carry out work under supervision PProficiencyan ability to carry out work without supervision and to supervise others

The TPP Skill Units The TPP skill requirements are based on: Ten Technical Units – “Section A” –such as A2: Laws and Regulations Three Generic Units – Management, Communications and the like – Section B –such as B1: Professional Leadership Each Unit is divided in two parts: 1Awareness and Knowledge 2Experience and Proficiency

Questions

The TPP Qualification: The PTK

The Portfolio of Technical Knowledge – the PTK Required for any candidates who has not completed the TPS PDS does not have an approved transport Masters does not need to submit a Technical Report Through the PTK, you demonstrate that you have satisfied the TPP Section A Technical Knowledge requirements

Completing your PTK You need to –provide evidence demonstrating you have satisfied the TPP Section A knowledge requirements –demonstrate your professional knowledge across modes –demonstrate a continuing commitment to learning through your CPD record The evidence of your learning, knowledge, can include –short courses –degree modules –on the job training You must use the standard PTK template You can submit your PTK whenever you are ready

The PTK Knowledge Requirements TopicUnit Mandatory Standard Choices A1Working within the policy contextK A2Applying laws and regulationsK A3DataK A4Transport Models and ForecastingK A5AssessmentK A6Stakeholder engagementK A7 Developing Strategic and Masterplans for Transport K in A8Principles of Transport System Design any two A9Travel Planning of these A10 Commercial and operational Management of Transport Systems four Units

How is my PTK assessed? Your PTK will be assessed by two trained assessors –one is likely to be a practitioner, the other from a university with an approved transport Masters course They will need to be to be satisfied that you have a thorough understanding of the principles underlying transport planning in each of the Mandatory Units and the two other Units you have chosen

Remember! Your PTK is about knowledge It is NOT about experience So write about how you have satisfied the Knowledge requirements through learning –experience is only relevant in explaining what you learned through working on projects You must demonstrate how you satisfy the knowledge requirements within the 500 word limit for each of the eight Units

Keep Good Records! Keeping a detailed record of when and how you obtained each item of Knowledge - your learning outcomes - as your career progresses will be a great help when you come to complete your PTK

Questions

The Portfolio of Evidence

The Portfolio of Evidence is, in effect, your application for a Professional Review interview Through your Portfolio of Evidence, you need to demonstrate 1your Experience and Proficiency through: -one completed Competence Record Form (CRF) for each of -the ten Section A Units -the three Section B Units -a project synopsis (or synopses of up to three projects) 2your commitment to professional development through: -your CPD record for the last two years -a SWOT analysis -a Personal Development Plan

The Section B – Generic - Units You must use the CRFs to demonstrate your Proficiency in each of the three Section B Units UnitTopicStatus B1Professional leadershipMandatory B2 Interpersonal skills Mandatory B3 Commitment and personal conductMandatory

The Section A – Technical - Units Understanding the rules for satisfying the requirements can be challenging You must complete a CRF for each Unit There are –six Mandatory Units (A1, A2. A3, A4, A5 & A6), –four Units in a “Choice Set” (A7, A8, A9 & A10) The requirements involve two possible combinations of Proficiency and Experience Units

The Mandatory Section A Units First, in five of the Mandatory Units you must demonstrate Experience, and in one, Data, you must demonstrate Proficiency

In addition …You have two possibilities – Alternative 1 The first Alternative requires Proficiency in four additional Section A Units, and Experience in one additional Section A Unit –the one additional Experience Unit must be selected from one of the four “Choice Set” Units

Alternative 1 - The four additional Proficiency Units The four additional Proficiency Units can then be chosen from five of the Mandatory Units and three of the “Choice Set” Units – but not the one selected for the additional experience Unit

Alternative 2 If you have a good breadth of experience but limited project management, you have an alternative of demonstrating Proficiency in three additional Section A Units, but you then have to demonstrate Experience in three additional Section A Units Your three additional Experience Units must be selected from four of the “Choice Set” Units

Alternative 2 - The three additional Proficiency Units Your three additional Proficiency Units can be selected from the one remaining Choice Set Unit left after selecting your three additional Experience Units and from five of the Mandatory set

The Section A Mandatory and Choice Requirements: A Summary There are 6 Mandatory Units: –5 Units at Experience level –1 Unit at Proficiency level – Data in addition you have a choice between either –4 Units (other than Data) at Proficiency level –plus 1 Choice Unit at Experience level or –3 Units (other than Data) at Proficiency level –plus 3 Choice Units at Experience level

Proficiency Proficiency is about being able to supervise others – as well working without direct supervision You do not have to be a Project Manager –work as a Task Manager or Team Leader within a larger project can demonstrate your “Proficiency”, provided you have had full responsibility for the parts of the project assigned to you

The Competence Record Form - CRF

Completing your CRFs For each CRF, you have maximum of 500 words in which to summarise your Experience, and your Proficiency where appropriate as well as demonstrating your professional competence - that word limit tests your ability to communicate succinctly you should use a variety of different projects within each CRF as well as across the 13 CRFs to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your Experience and Proficiency –do not concentrate on just a few projects –try to use projects other than that chosen for Project synopsis

Remember! Your CRFs are about Experience and Proficiency –if you submitted a PTK, that was about Knowledge –while you might use some of the same projects, the evidence you draw from them for the two Portfolios is very different –a focus on a single mode or a narrow set of projects is not satisfactory –as someone with the TPP qualification, you must demonstrate that you are capable of working across a range of contexts, including modes

Questions

Your Project Synopsis Your Project Synopsis must be no more than 1,200 words –that limit is another test of your skill in writing succinctly and well – a key communication skill You can describe up to three projects –but it is usually better to concentrate on just one The Project(s) should demonstrate the breadth and depth of your competence across both the Section A and the Section B requirements The synopsis (or synopses) will form the basis of a presentation you have to make at the beginning of your Professional Review interview

Questions

How much Experience and Proficiency do I need? Obtaining the qualification TPP requires both breadth and depth of experience –across modes –across contexts Gaining that experience within a few years requires a structured approach to career development –obtaining it “as and when” will almost certainly take longer Some transport planners may be ready for their TPP Professional Review interview within five years of starting work in transport planning –most will take longer

Keep Good Records! Keeping a detailed record of when and how you obtained each item of Experience and Proficiency as your career progresses will be a great help when you come to complete your Portfolio of Evidence

When can I submit my Portfolio of Evidence? Only when you are confident that you have all the Experience and Proficiency that award of the TPP requires TPP Professional Reviews are held twice a year, in early May and November Your submission must be made one month earlier –the dates are given at

Questions

The TPP Professional Review Interview

What happens at my Professional Review Interview? You will be interviewed by two trained reviewers (one will be in the lead) –there might also be an auditor or a trainee reviewer in the room, observing Before the interview, the reviewers will have studied your Portfolio of Evidence and agreed the key areas they will pursue through the interview You will first be asked to give a minute presentation on the project – or projects - you have chosen The reviewers will then ask you about your project and then your experience –although the Interview is mainly about your experience, the reviewers may well ask you about your knowledge, if they have concerns

Your Professional Review Interview – The Project(s) Rehearse your presentation, and rehearse it again –with your Mentor, with colleagues Remember, it is as much a test of your ability to get the necessary information across within no more than 20 minutes – ideally 15 - as it is about the project(s) If you go over the 20 minutes maximum, your reviewers might cut you off Try to avoid using a laptop for your presentation –your reviewers will be on one side of a table, you on the other – and there might be a trainee reviewer off to the side Its best to use handouts, or an A3 double sided flip chart

Your Professional Review Interview – After the Presentation First, the Reviewers will ask you about your Project(s) They will then move on to other parts of your Portfolio, focussing on addressing concerns they might have identified The concerns might be about any aspect of your professional competence –technical, managerial, professional involvement and commitment …… knowledge, experience …… The challenge is to respond to the questions honestly, informatively and succinctly – do not ramble or talk at length

Remember! Your interview will last no more than 75 minutes, and in that time you have to –give the reviewers sufficient time to ask all the questions they want to ask –convince the reviewers that, supported by your Portfolio of Evidence, you have the breadth and depth of professional competence required for award of the TPP Being an effective oral communicator is a key requirement

What happens after my Professional Review Interview? After the interview the reviewers will prepare a joint report and recommendation A group of PSC members will consider their report and recommendation, together with your Portfolio of Evidence –if they have any doubts they refer decision to full PSC The PSC will confirm or revise the interviewers’ recommendation and agree the key content of a letter you will be sent

Questions

Some Additional Points on the TPP

Do I need a Mentor? Yes, a Mentor is highly advisable Understanding the TPP requirements, Keeping a record of your experience, from your early days in transport planning structured to match the requirements, Making sure you satisfy the requirements – and filling gaps if you do not, Making the most effective use of all your experience in completing your Portfolio of Evidence, Rehearsing your project presentation and preparing for your Professional Review interview, all benefit from advice, and encouragement, from someone who “knows”

What Are the TPP Fees? The TPP fees for 2011 are: Professional Review, £450 Senior Route, £450 Professional Review resit, £200 Portfolio of Technical Knowledge, £100 Technical Report, £100 Annual registration, following success, £12 Some employers pay these fees, others reimburse successful candidates

What are the benefits of the TPP qualification, to me? Award of the TPP qualification defines you as a true professional, with a wide range of technical and management competences As the number of those with the TPP qualification grows, so employers and organisations commissioning transport planning work are likely to show a preference for those with the TPP –particularly for those planners giving evidence in public on transport planning policies and plans In due course you will competing in a jobs market in which others may well have the TPP qualification

Questions

The TPS Professional Development Scheme - some key points

Can I backdate my PDS record? Yes, a new PDS participant can have their past achievements recognised –if they already have some experience that can be verified, they do not need to start at the very beginning A PDS participant who moves from one licensed employer to another can take their partially completed PDS record with them, and continue with the new employer

What are the key differences between the PDS and TPP requirements? The TPP requires Proficiency in all the Section B Units, while the PDS only requires it in some of the equivalent Units The TPP requirement for additional Units is either 3Ps + 1E or 2Ps + 3Es The PDS requirement for additional Units is either 2Ps + 1E or 3Ps + 3Es  Why? Having completed the PDS, you can pursue your career in the main areas that interest you, while obtaining extra experience, particularly as in management – of people and projects (or tasks)

What does participating in the TPS PDS cost? Participation in the TPS PDS is free to trainees, but employers must be Stakeholder members of TPS – or Corporate Members if an LA or an organisation with no more than 20 employees in total and have a PDS licence

Questions

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