Meet a Planner

My decision to study planning developed through a keen interest in design and geography at school. I think the best thing is realising that planning is everywhere. There are lots of opportunities to specialise in areas which interest you whether that be community engagement, master-planning or environmental sustainability. My top tip for future planners would be to make sure you get out the office! Whether it's a site visit at school or a field trip at university, planning is definitely not about sitting behind a desk all day – seeing development happening on the ground is key, and definitely much more exciting! A career in planning will set you up with a wide range of professional skills which are transferable to wherever life may take you.

At school I really enjoyed learning about different places throughout the world. I studied geography at undergraduate level, where the likes of Ebenezer Howard's garden cities and Le Corbusier's high rise towers sparked an interest in planning and the built environment. I decided to start work in an admin role in a council planning department and studied part-time for a RTPI conversion degree. I had lectures around the country and even Italy. As well as having a lot of fun, these field trips really helped to bring to life and reinforce what had been taught within the classroom. Remember to look around you – use existing development to help you and to inform your decisions, it can show you good examples of planning, bad examples of planning and sometimes it just helps things to make sense! If you like change, constant challenge and seeing the results of your hard work in the built environment around you, a career in planning could be for you.

I started working as a planning officer in a Local Authority development management team and offered the apprenticeship course. During my Environmental Science undergraduate degree, a module on sustainable urbanisation piqued my interest in place making. I felt that planning bridged the relationship between people, the natural environment and of built environments. I realised that the apprenticeship would provide me an opportunity for career progression and a chance to further develop my practical skills and learn more about the impact planning can have on shaping places in the UK and promoting social cohesion.

I've always been interested in the natural and built environment and the impact this has on our quality of life, and realised this is what urban planning is all about. It is such a varied and ever-evolving field, so there is never a dull moment nor an excuse to stop learning! Get involved in community development work as early as possible. Planning incorporates so many different aspects, from design to economics to community engagement, which makes for a really stimulating education and career. Through planning, we can have an enormous positive impact on peoples' lives.

I decided on town planning after enjoying both human geography and design & technology at school. I wanted to find a vocational route that would allow me to be creative whilst also being able to push my academic skills. My top tip is to get out and about. Understanding the heritage of an area makes it a lot easier to critique its current form and plan positively for its future. It's exciting that the context of planning is constantly changing with different challenges and initiatives, so it's unlikely that you will ever stop learning. Planners are currently at the forefront of attempting to battle the 'housing crisis' whilst also redesigning run down high streets and revitalising inefficient infrastructure so it is easy to find a specialism.

After high school I knew university wasn’t the right choice for me. I enjoyed Geography and wanted to work within that area. I chose planning because I wanted my say in how we shape the world around us, promoting a sustainable future for our communities. Currently I work within a Local Authority planning department as a technician with the aim of becoming a planning officer in time; the experience I gained put me in the position to earn this role and helps me adapt what I know to manage different sides of planning and its issues.

Initially I was going to study for the usual high school exams but I was also looking to explore other business avenues and came across an advertisement for a local planning role on the Apprenticeship website. I decided to study for the BTEC Level 3 in Town Planning Technical Support at college instead. I chose to begin a career in planning because I wanted to use my local knowledge and youth to help develop communities. I have now successfully completed the technician apprenticeship and I am hoping to start the RTPI Degree Apprenticeship soon and will continue attending RTPI events.

I loved the idea of a career in planning, where it is possible to change and shape the future of how we live. Town Planners have a huge responsibility to get it right for our children’s future and their children’s future, and we need to build sustainable, economical, ecological and affordable housing. I applied for a place on the Town Planning Technical Support Level 3 Apprenticeship. Working full time and attending college on day-release requires good organisation and prioritising skills. My job is currently working across ten local authorities in securing planning obligations from development proposals to mitigate the impact of new urban growth. This helps provide the local communities with new infrastructure such as Schools, Libraries and Youth centres.