Transportation planning question (beginning a career)?

[RealStreets]

I'm very interested in starting a career in transportation planning. I have a masters degree in planning but little experience in that specialization. I have an opportunity to gain some experience in a state dept. of transportation, specifically working in monitoring and processing of Federal funding documents for various projects. I'm wondering how valuable this work would be and if this experience would set me up for a career in actual transportation planning (public or private sector).

[ColoGI]

I'm very interested in starting a career in transportation planning. I have a masters degree in planning but little experience in that specialization. I have an opportunity to gain some experience in a state dept. of transportation, specifically working in monitoring and processing of Federal funding documents for various projects. I'm wondering how valuable this work would be and if this experience would set me up for a career in actual transportation planning (public or private sector).

You have a chance to get work/internship right now in planning, and you want to go into planning?!?!?!? And you are wondering if you should take a position?!?!?!?!?

[JimPlans]

I'm very interested in starting a career in transportation planning. I have a masters degree in planning but little experience in that specialization. I have an opportunity to gain some experience in a state dept. of transportation, specifically working in monitoring and processing of Federal funding documents for various projects. I'm wondering how valuable this work would be and if this experience would set me up for a career in actual transportation planning (public or private sector).

"Monitoring and processing Federal funding documents" is a big part of "actual" transportation planning. In fact, understanding Federal funding programs/guidelines is excellent experience, as money is what makes the world go 'round.

Your question makes me want to ask you a question: What do you think "actual" transportation planning is?

[ColoGI]

You have a chance to get work/internship right now in transportation planning, and you want to go into transportation planning?!?!?!? And you are wondering if you should take a position?!?!?!?!? WTF?!?!?!?!?

Yes, echoing Jim, I see I hit 'submit' too quickly, fixed & added flava.

[RealStreets]

"Monitoring and processing Federal funding documents" is a big part of "actual" transportation planning. In fact, understanding Federal funding programs/guidelines is excellent experience, as money is what makes the world go 'round.

Your question makes me want to ask you a question: What do you think "actual" transportation planning is?

Transportation planning was not my specialization in planning school so forgive me if I'm a little uninformed. I was under the impression that transportation planning involved making long range plans for transportation systems, modeling/forecasting, and research. I know that federal funding is an important part of state transportation programs but I feel I would enjoy the planning side (modeling, plan-making. etc.) more, if my conception of that is correct. So that's what I was trying to ask in my original post; if this experience would boost my credentials for eventually doing that.

Thanks for the advice.

[DetroitPlanner]

Transportation planning was not my specialization in planning school so forgive me if I'm a little uninformed. I was under the impression that transportation planning involved making long range plans for transportation systems, modeling/forecasting, and research. I know that federal funding is an important part of state transportation programs but I feel I would enjoy the planning side (modeling, plan-making. etc.) more, if my conception of that is correct. So that's what I was trying to ask in my original post; if this experience would boost my credentials for eventually doing that.

Thanks for the advice.

A foot in the door is better than being outside. One of the biggest inputs to planning is determining how much money you have and what are the restrictions in using it. You need to understand models to even begin to crack funding programs such as CMAQ.