Becoming a town planner at 50

[Badaboop]

I’ve recently been made redundant and, to be honest, feel burned out by my choice of career (marketing).

I looked at town planning and feel it could offer me what I’m missing. I actually have a geography-related degree and in another life may well have pursued it from the get-go. I’d likely only need to do the Masters to become accredited.

My only concern is my age: I’m about to turn 50 and having missed the intake this year, won’t be able to start for another 12 months. And despite assurances from well-meaning friends that 50 is still young, I’ve read numerous articles this year saying how the over 50s are finding it harder to get jobs than ever.

Is there anyone who’s worked in planning (or knows people who do) who can offer some perspective? Have I left it too late? I accept I’ll need to start from the bottom - the issue’s more whether age-bias may come into play when applying for starter grade jobs.

Hi! I’m following as I am in exactly the same boat suddenly. Not so much for the Town Planning but generally - I’m thinking project management. I’m quite afraid of the future and making it work that I can both still have a career and not feel wiped out by retirement!

I’ve read numerous articles this year saying how the over 50s are finding it harder to get jobs than ever

Well, yes - but in two or three years time, would you rather have the Master’s qualification or not? The time will pass either way.

I know nothing about Town Planning, but as someone who studied for a postgraduate degree at around your age, I cannot tell you how reinvigorating I found it. Unexpected doors opened, new contacts were forged … It certainly has been harder to establish myself in my new occupation than it is for my younger peers - but there’s something valuable in possessing a unique point of view.

I don't know, but I have wondering similar. I'm mid-40s and wondering whether the Pathways to Planning programme might be an option. My SIL changed career at 50 (though a completely different sector; she did a PGCE and became a primary school teacher).

I'd say go for it if it interests you. I really don't think that age is looked down upon, I think that they actually really value people of different ages and backgrounds bringing different perspectives to the team. Most of the planners that I know have made their way in the classic route, but I know a few that have handbrake-turned into it from elsewhere later in life.
As a career change:
It is not great pay. An assistant planner (the level that you often start in whilst studying) earns only just above minimum wage really. There's often a graduate planner level, then planning officer, senior officer, principal officer. Even a principal might only be on £45,000 with some pretty big project responsibility. You may have to move around LAs to move up the ladder if you want to progress quicker.
It can be repetitive for quite a while. You will do many, many, single storey rear extensions before anything juicier. You will probably not get to work on major housing developments for quite some time if that's the sort of stuff that you're dreaming of!
Pros:
There are quite a lot of jobs out there at the moment (and judging by Reeves today, more coming).
Job stress depends on who you ask. Different local authorities are under different pressures, but I personally don't think it's a high stress environment.
The roles are often flexible, hybrid if that suits you.