What else could I do with these skills? Career change for environmental planner. .

[Reluctantadult]

I think i might have to face up to changing career in a couple of years. I love what I do, I'm qualified, experienced, good at it. But I'm stuck progression wise as its completely stagnant and the next roles up are difficult/impossible to get and scary. Salary wise I'm in low £30's with no route up. +10yrs like this. And no end in sight.

I work for a non-departmental public body in the planning sector by which I mean development, house building etc, both applications and policy. I give the organisations advice.

What else I could do though?

I don't want to go into consultancy as that would mean working for house builders and developers, which feels a bit like the dark side. I'm also such a generalist I'm not sure they have a job for me. They're usually more specific eg an ecologist. A flood modeller.

Transferable skills wise :

I can digest big technical reports on different related topics and form an opinion balancing evidence.

I can write that into a good letter.

I sometimes have to present evidence / the opinion I've formulated / and represent my organisation to an examiner /inspector, in front of an audience. And be questioned.

I am senior in my team so direct the team, priorities what we do. Balance people's work loads. This has involved coming up with and driving new ways of working.

I advise colleagues and lead on hard decisions. QA their work. Give them technical and tactical advice.

I juggle workload. A lot. And well.

I work with lots of partners, building relationships, chairing groups, participating. Some of these are not always easy.

I have a mix of short and long deadlines.

I am self motivated. I'm quite driven by being good at something.

Bump.
Any ideas?

Is your non departmental body the one with initials EA by any chance? I've taken a couple of sideways, then sideways and upwards moves in the last couple of years to push my grade.

Civil service policy type roles?

If you aren't already in the EA it might be a good move, you sound like a grade 5, lots of sideways and upwards movement available and working conditions are good.

Agreed.

I feel a restructure rumbling. It's been a while!

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads @Singleandproud nearly right, NE. I've looked at EA this morning as I think the grade down starts on a few k more than senior at NE. It's not just about the money, at this point a change would be good. I'm blocked from sideways moves in NE as I'm 'business critical', been that way for a number of yrs with no sign of change. And principle jobs are few and far between, plus extremely hardcore!

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads I'm also in Norfolk, it feels a lot like it's a house of cards at the moment with so many on assignment in our area. I have found the EA fab after leaving teaching and although there's a few grumbles from the old guard I think the working conditions are brilliant.

I'm not actually in Norfolk, my user name is just a song lyric!

My function is carrying so many vacancies that we have been blocked from assignments, but I am where I wa t ti be for the moment. I agree with @Reluctantadult it's not just about the money, it's about interest and also credibility.

@Reluctantadult - I've bern at the EA for nearly 20 years. Happy to talk to you about the organisation if you want. You sound like a "fit" for NEAS (National Environmental Assessment Service), prob. Grade 5.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads i worked for the EA in the past as a temp, and I work with them all the time now, nutrients and river restoration projects. My main issue would be the interview ha ha

Hmmm yes. Our competency based interviews are challenging at best.

OP you should look at consultancy. Look at the big engineering companies, we don’t work with house builders or developers and our grads start at £30k, 10+ years experience and you’d be on a lot more than that. Public sector/agencies pay so much less than private sector for this area of work. It’d be a faster pace and longer hours but more opportunity for progression and salary, and you’d have good transferable skills.

How about third sector? National Trust, Canal and River Trust spring to mind. I’m in another NDPB with an equally niche role, and I’m trying to think about where our people go. It’s hard if you don’t want to go to the private sector, but I completely agree with you there - I’d be gamekeeper turned poacher, and it would make me very uncomfortable, although considerably better off (in the short term - I really value the prospect of my PCSPS pension when the time comes).

@Reluctantadult it's becoming more common for all interviewees to be provided with the questions ahead of time, although in my experience the questions are often (but not always) the same as on the application. You can then use the online capabilities dictionary which details the I dictators for each capability to prepare your answers ahead of time.

If your don't have much luck applying as a grade 5, take a step down to a 4, get some EA specific experience and once your in apply for an internal move to a 5. I upgraded having been in the EA 6 months.

Online capabilities dictionary help with the indicators not dictators

I tried for a grade 4 job last year and didn't get it, because it's going 'down' to a technician level. And because I suck at interviews. I have a very nice time! But need to build better constructed answers.

Work with one of the governmental planning appeal bodies, sounds like your skills are ideal to work in a decision maker role

this might helo

Thank you. Might have to just start trying, get some practice runs in.

What would you like to do? Can you train up in that area, maybe via an online course even, to show initiative and build up your knowledge in that area? Can you ask your contacts at those organisations you do work with for any job shadowing opportunities?

Environmental Sustainability Manager roles will get you to £40k-50k and there's then growth beyond that into more senior roles

https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=04b9368c6c5fffcb&tk=1h61nkjlokcp7802&from=serp&vjs=3&advn=9779694072267064&adid=385503294&ad=-6NYlbfkN0CsM473sFOHRhzNHXmRHbqTXUihxBMIFOBtDQViybHbe9gdbAXzVZdj8m0mZw2cOOx2kdxacTA9TV3CG8Hc0SjYWmcw0eZFgT0C1vBAIX2C0YOefX7Xfohhgm68jFxTun3TuS8kFQrnPeM0O9zMk7T7D00MZboy2uyvauHJzLVtmAv9KR9Val50RQ5QQeRKrLpbVE-MKBBEDLZ2uz2IjOS-YZEevU1jH1C5g-8HubLdsTXgk7T3E-0iolTb2w2vAiBqQfib9ZQChA7ETajH7IkIGM6rffaBHjXEan06TLatVtaeeUpISvv--HGgIiIYsiuoOlIHu-Gtvzo3YVEQ73zGc5cNN20hZT2kF6YRvpUG6crMjvCPHVYBGCsw4Zgi7yZljhD9XB7aSRCiBifv3z9u-RC3DsdZzmK7ZDc7PfFw==&xkcb=SoCQ--M3MBnIUxQNDJ0MbzkdCdPP&sjdu=0ZFwD5rbjMRcHz87Kzxg6AQzewF46LyprMhYSSwDHPPhW6zheN895napKKFbmdfpDE9i7zPzuWGMfFXBWKo3HKYrB-5XH-d4BAaNwslD8Il19uzAg2LBGKeYubcm0CgpyY41oPqrvRLEX7fCvynj0Bblq5JeP37MwKLZwx-ZFgYsqAFdoQ8pA9HAcrx2NQSA8PPyN0acDohqPQb9vjQ2b9Il319ZICwwVIqdchs

@Toohotforchips I've really only ever wanted to do what I do! Or be a teacher but I'm not sure that's a realistic prospect now. I can't afford to re-train.

Hello. I'm at NE too! 👋 I moved from 15+ years in consultancy doing EIA management/ coordination which is about as generalist as it is possible to be. I did enjoy it, it's really varied and it's not really "dark side" (in all cases) as your role is making sure the client can develop in the best possible way for the environment (and also get them consent, fair enough)- in some cases stopping developments before the application stage, if they weren't going to work. Though one of the reasons I moved was to get a job where "everybody doesn't hate me all the time" (well, that turned out well!!)

To be fair I was never especially ambitious and the pay actually wasn't great. Was offered a role at the same time as the NE one for £38k...could maybe have haggled but tbh the benefit of the flexibility/ pensions/ leave in NE meant there wouldn't be a huge amount in it and I fancied a change. To go higher (principal upwards) I'd need to get more into line management which i'd be shit at. And also more tactical/ strategic/ business/ financial stuff, which also isn't what drove me. It sounds that you are good with that though (tactical decisions/ managing people and their workloads) so you may be more cut out for going higher... Or as you say working for a developer directly...you could go for a green energy one or similar that seems to be a bit less morally dodgy?!

Staying in the public sector, the planning inspectorate sometimes have roles for "baby" planning inspectors...can't remember what the actual name is but you don't have to be full on RTPI and do inquiries etc. Just decisions on the smaller appeals - refused house extensions etc. The pay seemed reasonable (low 40s?) but with lots of travel. Maybe a bit dull but a good segue into full on planning with lots of opportunities for training? Or keep an eye on civil service jobs with some of the less crappy paid departments! BEIS/DESNEZ had a G7 environmental role the other week for £77k 😲. But with quite a niche skillset of offshore oil and gas regulation.

I still think you could do with taking some time to have a think about what you really want. Then you can take steps to getting there.

Do you want more money? Could a team leader position suit you? It may fulfill the nurturing side of you that wanted to teach? Can you try for one of the jobs PP mentioned?

Or do you want to more technical knowledge and are you fed up of being a generalist? Could you take an assignment for 6 months or a year in the same organisation to learn something new? Have a look at FutureLearn website there are some good, free short courses from top universities. They may spark a new area of interest for you.

Could you afford to go part-time? That may give you time to pursue outside interests?

Are you afraid of moving? Why? What's holding you back?

If you find you still love your job, can you visit lots of the places where your involvement has made a big difference to get your love of your job back?

Thanks @Toohotforchips

I have been trying to think about what I'd like to do for about 5yrs! No clear desires. I like the variety to some extent. But some newer people in the team have the bits of the job I would prefer and I've been left with the hardest bits no one wanted ha

I am on a par with team leader grade so that makes no difference. I wouldn't want to do 100% team leader job I would miss the delivery work.

I am blocked from any sideways moves in my organisation by my managers as they can't afford to lose me. Same for any external secondments.

I am part time now and thinking about when I can go back to full time.

I will check out future learn! I appreciate your advice.