Matt Riley

Matt Riley

Transport Planner

Transport Planner Matt Riley discusses his passion for his course and why people should consider our Transport Planning programme. 

Hello, I’m Matt Riley and I work for West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), as a Transport Planner. I studied the BTEC Transport Planning course at Leeds College of Building (LCB), as a part of my Apprenticeship with WYCA. Prior to this, I had studied up to A-Level, having chosen not to continue my studies at university. In my spare time I love travelling, eating out, getting out in the great outdoors, and learning Dutch.

I chose to study at LCB as I lived quite close to Leeds and having researched the college and seen its strengths in the Transport Planning field, it was an obvious choice. The staff were just brilliant - so knowledgeable and passionate yet engaging. The class sizes were just right, still small enough for you to feel engaged, but large enough for you to meet people from different employers all over the country.

A highlight of my time at college was The European field trip. We visited the Netherlands in March 2022 and it’s not going too far to say I feel in love with the place. I’ve been back four times since - hence the Dutch lessons! The field trip now also includes Germany and is a fabulous way to get to see some best practice examples of transport planning.

The course is comprehensive, covering everything from laws & regulations to project management and behaviour change initiatives. You really couldn’t ask for a better introduction to Transport Planning. The module covering the current transport system in the UK was great - I was surprised how much I didn’t know about the everyday transport systems that we take for granted, and what goes on behind the scenes. Before studying at LCB, I had no knowledge or experience of the Transport Planning industry, but the course and the fantastic staff delivering it have equipped me with the knowledge and skills to kickstart my career in the field.

I’m now a fully-fledged Transport Planner, but I’m still learning all the time. One of the great things about this industry is that it’s never static or stagnant. Within the next five years, I’d like to attain Transport Planning Professional status, which is conferred by the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), who run the apprenticeship programme.

Some of my biggest achievements throughout my apprenticeship journey include winning LCB’s Building Industry Greats Award for Apprentice of the Year 2022 and CHIT’s Apprentice of the Year 2023 (Yorkshire & the Humber). But completing the college course and widening my skill and knowledge were also big steps.

I personally didn’t access any support myself, however the college were great at signposting available help, and I would have had no hesitation in approaching any member of staff for help if the need arose.