Background
Transportation Group is a special interest group of Engineering New Zealand (ENZ). It has long been promoted as an inclusive group that welcomes not just engineers, but transportation professionals who come from a wide range of backgrounds and hold varied tertiary degrees.
Membership in the Transportation Group is open to all (i.e., it is not necessary to pay additional dues to ENZ to be a member of Transportation Group), although people without an engineering degree can also join ENZ as an affiliate.
There are multiple professional pathways available (including new pathways specific to the New Zealand transportation planner); these include the following:
Engineering NZ pathways (for engineers)
Engineering New Zealand has varied memberships for students, emerging professionals, members, and chartered members. For those who hold a Washington Accord engineering degree, chartered engineering status may be achieved:
https://www.engineeringnz.org/join-us/cpeng/
Transport Planning Society (TPS) New Zealand (TPTech, TPP, CTPP)
Our aim is to facilitate, develop and promote best practice and innovation in transport planning here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We aim to create a Society that provides an open, diverse and inclusive transport planning community, which represents and champions the transport planning profession.
Regardless of your background, we want to support you through structured training, assessments and qualifications to promote your career progression and professional development as a transport planner.
The Transport Planning Professional qualification is awarded jointly by the Transport Planning Society UK and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT). The TPS NZ has a relationship with these organisations to help you identify the best pathway for you to achieve the qualification.
https://tps.org.uk/The-Society/tps-new-zealand
Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) Chartered Transport Planning Professional (CTPP)
Established in 1930, CIHT is a UK based multi-disciplinary institution, and the awarding body of the CTPP. In 2018, CIHT successfully petitioned the Privy Council for the right to award the title of Chartered Transportation Planning Professional, offering Transport Planners equal recognition to other similarly recognised professions. “Chartered TPP is only available to experienced transport planners who have successfully completed the Transport Planning Professional (TPP) assessment. Access to the TPP qualification was previously limited to CIHT and TPS members but is now open to Transport Planners who are members of other recognised professional bodies approved by CIHT and TPS.” The international pilot was launched in April 2021, with a small number of NZ candidates undergoing locally customised assessment, as an alternative to the new TPS NZ path above.
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Founded in North America, ITE’s mission is “to provide the global community of transportation professionals with the knowledge, practices, skills and connections to serve the needs of their communities and help shape the future of the profession and transportation in the societal context.”
In addition to traditional engineering certifications, ITE supports the Professional Transportation Planner (PTP), administered by the Transportation Professional Certification Board (TPCB). The six-hour PTP exam requires some knowledge of US legislation and practice so the qualification is ideal for New Zealanders who plan to work in the US.
https://www.tpcb.org/certification/ptp/
Certified Transport Planner (Australia)
CTP are the post-nominal letters that distinguish an individual as a Certified Transport Planner through the Australian Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT Australia 2021). The CTP is a professional qualification that provides a definitive standard for measuring capability and experience in the Transport Planning profession. The CTP unifies the many disciplines — such as Engineering, Town Planning, Geography and Economics — that make up the profession. CTP status indicates professional recognition, from peers and employers, of significant experience and capability to plan, implement, manage and improve transport planning initiatives. In New Zealand, recognition is provided through Chartered Membership of CILT.
https://www.ciltapd.com.au/ctp/
Further information: Dioni & Koorey (2021) Pathways for chartered transport professionals in NZ. Available at: paper