Modelers

The content on this page is derived from notes that were taken during the Modeling Meta session at the 2014 Innovations in Travel Modeling Conference in Baltimore.

Finding and training great modelers is always a challenge: both at consulting firms and at public agencies. The skill set required to be a great modeler is in high demand in other industries and it can be difficult to compete.

Recruitment Techniques

• Make pay scale competitive with other industries that require a similar skillset
  • Save TMIP listserv (opens new window) postings with salaries for other modeling positions
  • Look up other job listings with same skill-set
• Make position name alluring
  • Analyst is not as exciting as Data Scientist or Predictive Analytics Guru

Desired Skill Set

• Common sense
• Analytical mind
• Proficiency with at least one statistical analysis tool
• Proficiency with at least one programming tool
• Desire to help society
• Desire to be a travel modeler

Degrees

The most common degree for travel modelers is transportation/civil engineering. However, many successful modelers have come from other degrees. Many travel modelers do have a graduate degree. Common degrees include:

• Civil / Transportation Engineering
• City and Regional Planning (paired with a more quantitative degree)
• Urban Studies (paired with a more quantitative degree)
• Computer Science
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Statistics