Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
Transportation Engineer
Road and transit systems design
What this life looks like
You design the systems that move people and goods. Transportation Engineers plan and design roads, highways, rail networks, airports, ports, and public transit systems — the arteries of economic development. In Africa, where transport infrastructure is a critical constraint on growth, this career has enormous impact.
What she actually does
You conduct traffic surveys and transportation demand modelling, design road alignments and intersections, develop traffic signal systems, assess the safety performance of road networks, plan public transportation systems, evaluate transport project feasibility, and advise governments on transportation investment priorities. You work at the intersection of engineering, economics, and urban planning.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Roads Agencies | SANRAL (South Africa), Uganda National Roads Authority, Kenya Roads Board, FERMA Nigeria |
| Urban Transport Authorities | Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, City of Johannesburg, Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority |
| Engineering Consulting | AECOM, Arup, Aurecon Africa — transport feasibility and design projects |
| Development Finance | African Development Bank, World Bank — transport investment project technical teams |
Why it matters in Africa
Poor transport infrastructure costs Africa an estimated two to three percent of GDP annually in lost economic productivity. Road fatalities are among the highest in the world. Africa's infrastructure development agenda — supported by the African Development Bank and national governments — is creating major demand for transportation engineers.
Your pathway in
- Study Mathematics and Physics at school
- Study Civil Engineering at university and specialise in transportation engineering
- Develop proficiency in transportation planning software such as VISUM, VISSIM, or TransCAD
- Gain experience with transport project feasibility and design through internships
- Consider postgraduate study in transportation engineering or urban planning for advanced roles
Skills you will need
- Traffic engineering and modelling
- Road design and geometric design
- Transport planning software
- Public transit planning
- Road safety assessment
- Project management
A woman in this field
Naadiya Moosajee
South Africa
Naadiya is a South African civil and transportation engineer who earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Civil and Transportation Engineering from the University of Cape Town, and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh. She is the co-founder of WomEng, an organisation dedicated to inspiring women and girls to study and succeed in engineering. WomEng has reached thousands of young women across South Africa.
Take your first step
- Study Mathematics and Physics at school
- Research civil engineering programmes with transportation specialisation at universities in your country
- Observe transport challenges in your city — traffic, pedestrian safety, public transit — and think about engineering solutions
- Follow the African Development Bank's transport sector projects to understand investment priorities