How do you get into Town Planning?

[Fordian]

DS is 24, has a First in Graphic Design from a reasonable uni but has had all but no luck in finding work. He’s considering a change of direction, as above.

He has an AS in Geography (A grade), A* in a GD A level; and a 2 A level equivalent BTEC in graphic communication (top marks), plus solid GCSEs in Maths, Sciences etc.

Any ideas how he might go about getting into Town Planning?

Thanks for any ideas.

He needs to do some research among all the local authorities he's interested in. They may do higher levels apprenticeships in planning. Or they may have junior roles he could start straight into with his grades. Has he been looking at Indeed etc for junior planning roles?

I know a guy who works in planning, he came to it via working for a car manufacturer. And he has a degree in history of art but that was from thirty years ago. So I don't think you necessarily need direct experience or a relevant degree.

I wish him luck. I've always thought it might be quite fascinating!

Consider working for an environmental consultancy too. They always need people with a planning background or have scope for people to join the planning dept and specialise. Why didn't he study planning though, if that's what he wanted to do? Would a masters be a possibility for him?

@cheezncrackers He doesn’t have a planning background!

Also isn’t the government getting rid of apprenticeships for older degree holders? Not sure but ask LA planning departments what jobs they have . @Fordian He’s a bit of a one trick pony at post 16 study. It’s all very similar with little breadth. He could look at masters courses but I don’t know if his degree is “relevant”. I just checked out Birmingham but I think he’d have to contact admissions officers. Another really good course is Real Estate and Planning masters at Reading. Again they aren’t specific re entry degree so ask.

We know loads of planners - planning degrees or geography degrees for all of them.

Our LA will take planners with any relevant degree(but in the past this has included History and English !) and then they pay for them to do a masters in planning and train them up.
There is a shortage of planners so it's a good career although workload is often high.
I would look at for planning jobs at local council or perhaps consider doing a masters in town planning.

Urban Planning degree (Sheffield has a great UP programme, OP… cook building too).

There are LAs funding masters in Planning at present so just a case of keeping eyes peeled.

Getting some work experience either in a LA or a consultancy would be a good idea, and looks great on applications and or CV

Or Town (City) Planning MSc since he’s already got his degree in graphic design.

It's not just through local authorities - although they will need to recruit with the new planning system changes coming through - private sector planning consultancies recruit at all levels, many have internships, apprenticeships and other structures and can support through chartered status.

www.planningresource.co.uk has rankings and information. Www.the planner.co.uk is the RTPI publication.

I will look at all your advice in depth. And then ask more questions! Thank you to everyone who has responded

Govt are sadly withdrawing funding for the apprenticeship Masters, from Jan 2026, and you need to be employed to participate. If you can secure a job for a September study start, that would be a good option.

otherwise is a self funded masters an option?

has he considered urban design, which may be a good fit with his graphics background?

There’s also Landscape Architecture MA at Sheffield which is a conversion course. I also think Sheffield is very good.

@Fordian there is a huge shortage of town planners - sounds like a great move. I trained as a Chartered Surveyor in my late 20s on the job by correspondence - hard work but it saved another year at college. Took three years in total - 2 for the post grad Diploma and 2 for the Chartered surveyor but I could overlap one year of each. Maybe there is a similar route for Town Planners.

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) https://www.rtpi.org.uk/become-a-planner/
has many sources of information. There is an apprentice route, amongst others.

I did a degree in geography then masters in planning. True planners come from many backgrounds and are in demand-

Warwick District Council is currently advertising a Planning Apprenticeship.
Might be worth a look.

To gain experience how about:
https://planningaidforlondon.org.uk/volunteer-vacancies/

I assume he has looked at this:
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/become-a-planner/

Or ask around local community groups who are engaged in fighting planning applications and see if they could use an extra pair of hands. There are always a lot of tedious paperwork to read through and more experienced volunteers should be able to help explain how things work. (And lots to on the internet to help support community.) Public sector planning can be frustrating. The private sector can pay well, but it depends on what his motivation is.

Or look out for junior jobs within planning departments. Local Authorities are so short of planners that they use other support where they can. Get a foot in the door and show interest and progression should be possible.

The top regarded Masters course is at LSE, whose geography department have long focussed on urban studies. They accept experience in lieu of a relevant degree.

I once led a campaign to save my local park, assisted by Planning Aid for London. (They provided us with a senior Town Planner on a pro bono basis.) The developer appealed and we ended up going through a three week planning inquiry with us and the Local Authority working side by side. DC were babies and I was taking a career break. The Local Authority ended up offering me a job. I did not accept but ended up in a planning related field.

@ttttttmmmmm Some Apprentice routes for degree holders might not be offered in future as the move is to school leavers, not career changers. Worth looking at the small print of who is eligible.

Look at graduate role in the big planning/real estate consultancies - Savills, Knight Frank, CBRE, Lichfields. Many will have non-cognate graduate paths, which are for those who haven't done a property related degree. With his background, I'd suggest looking for companies that include urban design as part of their planning offer, otherwise it can become a lot of just arguing over housing numbers or specific interpretation of wording within the NPPF.

You can either do a straight planning/urban design route or be part of the wider graduate rotation, which would include time with a planning team, as well as e.g. investment, land agency, development consultancy, valuation. You work towards either an RICS or RTPI accredited Masters at the same time, which is normally fully funded, and you have about 1 day/week for study leave. Takes just over 2 years to fully qualify.

He could also look at the big house builders (Barratt, Taylor Wimpey) - it won't be just planning, still very interesting grounding in thinking about how to deliver a new place from scratch & I know many people who've gone from there to work in more placemaking type roles in all sorts of companies - like new town developers, the Crown Estate, government.

Yes there are jobs with housebuilders but they might require a RICS or RTPI accredited degree. As Taylor Wimpey do. I doubt the DS has that so maybe look at a masters and jobs bearing in mind he might not qualify for grad schemes.

Also the house builders are notoriously hire and fire! Huge moment around companies is normal because housebuilding is boom or bust. Land buying is also a role he could consider but he should know nepotism is rife in smaller housebuilders.

I’m overwhelmed by how kind you’ve all been in sharing your thoughts. Thank you. I’m working my way through these.

@Fordian the Government provides free courses for adults in subjects where there are labour shortages. Town planning isn't on the list, but he might find something else of interest: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/free-courses-for-jobs

Not exactly town planning but regeneration and housing projects are done by Homes England and they may have something, they do GIS and most aspects of planning the projects. Jobs are listed on civil service website.

Does he have a good idea of what planning entails? I thought it was what I wanted to do until I did work experience in a town planning department and hated it. I considered urban design instead but ultimately went down quite a different career path.

@MsPengiuns They are tiny and, having talked to a planning consultant, a bit of a joke. Could not find any training jobs with them.

They employ about 1,300 people so not that small. They will have entry level positions from time to time - obviously cuts in civil service atm. https://www.homesenglandcareers.com/

Some people do look down on civil servants but the civil service is a very good organisation to work for - good terms and conditions, very supportive of part time working, good pensions. People often go on to other jobs like consultancies, accountants or other, including more prestigious government departments. Obviously the work follows the lead of the political party of the day and there's some bureaucracy. They get access to civil service internal vacancies.