Paul Garrod MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering (2008/09)
Assistant Manager, Traffic & Safety, Economy, Transport & Environment, Hampshire County Council
Hi, I'm Paul Garrod and I studied MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering (2008/09) within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.
I knew that Southampton's Transportation Research Group had an excellent reputation and that the MSc was one of the most established postgraduate transport courses in the country. This gave me confidence in the staff leading the course and its content.
Why did you decide to study the MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering at Southampton?
I knew that Southampton's Transportation Research Group had an excellent reputation and that the MSc was one of the most established postgraduate transport courses in the country. This gave me confidence in the staff leading the course and its content.
What did you enjoy about the course?
The course gave me the opportunity to engage with others working in quite different parts of the transportation sector, which in itself enabled me to learn and understand what they do, as well as gain some new friends!
How has the course helped your career?
The greatest benefit is that it has given me a much broader knowledge of issues affecting transportation due to the variety and content of the modules. Not only do I have an understanding of issues that would normally be outside the scope of my typical work activities, but it has enabled me to become more involved and influence a greater part of the organisation where I work.
Tell us about your current job
I work for Hampshire County Council, one of the largest local authorities in the country. I assist in the management of three teams, whose combined objective is to make Hampshire's roads safer and keep traffic moving through training, education, engineering and traffic controls. It involves planned programmes of work and taking reactive measures to deal with traffic and safety issues that occur.
What advice would you give a graduate just starting the course?
Start thinking about potential dissertation topics early. If you're a part-time student and already have a job in highways or transportation, you'll probably find it easier to get underway if you can base your dissertation on something related to your work or data that your organisation holds.