In this video, I take you through the process of
becoming a city planner step by step.
This is based on my own experience becoming a city
planner and the experience of others I know in the
field.
I've broken this video down into 6 steps, so let's
get started with step one.
Step one, the side of city planning is really for
you.
In my experience, I found that most people don't have
a great idea of what city planners do.
Some assume planners wield awesome power, like Robert Moses in
New York or Baron Houseman in Paris.
The reality is quite different.
Let's talk about what planning is really like.
Instead of being a larger life Lord of a city
making changes unilaterally, like someone playing SIM, city planners work
on behalf of city councils, planning commissions, and other community
members.
Planners often act as educators and facilitators rather than master
designers.
Planning is highly collaborative.
Plans often take years to develop and decades to fully
implement.
Planners have to have some measure of patience and willingness
to take the Longview on issues.
Planning is often intertwined with local politics and projects, and
priorities can change with public opinion or new administrations.
It can be frustrating to have a plan or policy
derailed because of some change you can't control.
Planners engage in a wide variety of activities, from writing,
researching, leading community workshops, and creating maps using GIS.
The work is rarely monotonous.
Planners get to tackle problems like climate change and consider
the implications of new technology like autonomous vehicles.
It can be incredibly rewarding to make a positive contribution
to a community.
Planners get to envision a better world and work toward
creating it.
Not bad for a day's work.
At this point, I recommend conducting informational interviews with planners
in the field.
Don't be afraid to reach out.
Most city planners will be more than happy to talk
to you about what it's like to be a planner
day in and day out.
Step 2.
Get an education.
If you want to be a planner, you need a
bachelor's degree.
I've never met a planner without one, nor have I
seen a job posting asking for less than a bachelor's
degree.
Planners often have degrees that provide them with skills that
are useful as a practitioner.
Skills like critical thinking, technical writing, statistics, and experience with
geographic information software degrees like urban studies, geography, environmental science,
and sociology are common undergraduate degrees for planners.
This doesn't mean you can't be a planner with a
different degree if you have some or all of these
skills that I just mentioned.
Of all the skills to have, the ability to write
and communicate effectively is the most important.
If you're going to focus on any skill to build,
that would be the one.
Step 3, get some experience.
College, particularly at the undergraduate level, doesn't fully prepare you
to be a city planner.
For that you need an internship.
It will also give you a great sense for what
the professional environments like.
This is the stuff I screwed up on when I
was an undergrad.
I didn't do any internships so when it was time
to apply for jobs it made for some really awkward
job interviews.
They would ask me if I had any professional experience
and I'd be like no Needless to say, I didn't
get those jobs.
So learn from my mistakes and get an internship in
your undergraduate career.
Step 4, Go to Graduate School.
OK?
A master's degree technically isn't a prerequisite for being great
at this job.
I know plenty of great city planners without one.
That said, the American Planning Association considers a master's degree
in planning a standard for practitioners.
A master's degree is useful for people who have an
undergraduate degree that's not closely related to planning because a
graduate degree can get you the requisite knowledge and skill
set.
A graduate degree can also give you more opportunities to
get internships and experience, which again gives you a leg
up on the job market.
I'll post a link to accredited masters programs in the
description below.
Step 5.
Consider a specialty.
Some city planners need to be generalists, especially if they
work in a small office and have to wear many
hats.
But planners tend to gravitate towards specialties, either at school
or on the job.
You can think of specialties the way doctors have specialties.
All doctors are doctors, but some are neurologists, radiologists, cardiologists.
All planners are planners, but there are several common specialties
in professional practice, such as land use, transportation, housing, economic
development, community development, historic preservation, environmental planning, and urban design.
Each specialty is unique and requires a unique set of
skills and knowledge.
That said, planners from 1 specialty often interact with planners
from another specialty.
There's enough overlap to keep things interesting.
Step 6 Get a job.
We've come to the We'll stop on our journey to
becoming a city planner.
Getting a job.
By now you have one or more degrees, some work
experience, and maybe even a specialty.
But there's one more important thing to consider before you
enter the job market.
Do you want to work in the public sector, the
private sector?
Or would you be OK with either?
Public sector planners can work for a public agency, like
a city, county, state, transit district, or regional agency.
Most often it's for a city or county, and these
planners work under a planning director, Planning Commission, and City
Council.
In addition to plans, public planners often have to produce
documents, called staff reports, to the Planning Commission and City
Council.
These documents provide governing bodies with information on planning topics
relevant at that council or Commission meeting.
These staff reports will often include recommendations by planning staff.
This is one of the primary ways public sector planners
can have an influence on the planning process in the
jurisdiction they work for.
Private sector planners, ones that work for a consulting firm,
have a different focus.
They're typically hired by public agencies.
The private development firms can hire planners as well.
Public agencies often hire firms to do projects where the
agency lacks that specific expertise or if there's a temporary
need for more planning staff.
For example, a city may hire environmental planners to create
a climate action plan.
Consultant planners have to spend a portion of their time,
often around 20%, competing for contracts to do work.
So when you know if you're interested in the public
sector or private sector, it's time to apply for those
jobs.
Make sure you highlight your internship experience and all the
skills you've learned in school.
Before you know it, you'll be getting interviews in the
job of your dreams.
I know you're going to enjoy this profession.
It's both challenging and rewarding.
If you want more information on how to become a
planner, I've left a link to the American Planning Association
resources below.
Thanks for watching.
If you want to learn more about city planning before
you start your career journey, let me recommend the other
videos on this channel.
I personally recommend the Introduction to Zoning and the Introduction
to Layers of Government.