In our latest Team TPS spotlight, we have Orla Goode. Orla is with us on a placement year whilst studying at Sheffield Hallam University. An avid Leeds United supporter and Friends fan, find out more about Orla below…
What is your role at TPS and how long have you been here?
I am currently completing a year in industry with TPS whilst studying Human Geography at Sheffield Hallam University.
I began working at TPS in September of 2022 and plan to stay until the end of June this year before going back to Sheffield to complete the final year of my Undergraduate degree. During my time here, I have been rotating the different teams that comprise TPS.
For the first few months, I worked in the Residential Travel Planning team where I prepared and reviewed Monitoring Notes, Travel Guides and Newsletters for various residential developments across the UK. Then, at the end of last year and for the first few months of this year, I have been working in the Development Planning team where I have assisted in preparing several Travel Plans, Transport Statements and Transport Assessments along with a few University travel survey reports.
I have just started working in the Travel Plan Implementation team where I have, so far, been assisting on a wide range of research projects as well as a few site visits.
What do you get up to on a typical day at work?
At the beginning of the week, we tend to have resourcing meetings with the team to discuss our availability and to get assigned projects/tasks to work on for that week.
A typical day for me would therefore consist of ticking things off my list one by one. Whether it be drafting a Travel Plan or Transport Statement, or completing a University Carbon Assessment, there is never a dull moment!
Tell us something that your connections might be interested to know about you?
I was born overseas in Hong Kong in 2002 and lived there for just under 14 years before moving to Leeds in 2016. I found it very valuable in the fact that I was able to embrace the different cultures and learn Mandarin Chinese (albeit I am a little rusty). With an Irish father and Scottish mother, I am therefore a third-culture kid!
What’s your favourite thing to have worked on in the last month?
Where I have worked on many different projects, I would say that, so far, I have really enjoyed analysing the Travel Survey Data for Manchester Metropolitan University and Edge Hill University. This really tested my Excel navigation and statistical analysis skills, but I really enjoyed the challenge!
How do you wind down out of work?
After completing the Abbey Dash in Leeds Last year, I found a love for running, something my younger self would never have thought! Most nights after work I will walk to my local gym and will aim to run at least a 5k. However, as the weather starts to get warmer, I hope to be running more outside as the treadmill can be quite boring at times. I also enjoy a game of squash from time to time.
I am also an avid Leeds United supporter (with a season ticket), following on from my dad who brought me to my first game in 2017. So, I like to try and make as many home games as possible.
I absolutely love the TV show Friends, so you will also probably catch me watching it for the 5th time over.