Best Careers 2009: Urban Regional Planner

Land Planning

For those students and students-to-be interested in pursuing a career in "Planning", I recommend a Landscape Architecture degree as a base. "Planning" has a policy side and a physical design side; the best planners have a grasp of both. Some planners, however, live in one realm and only visit the other. It has been my experience over the past twenty years that public sector planners -- the bulk of the profession -- lack design skills, largely due to university curricula, and get little exposure to it on the job. (This is not intended to be a "dig": I wouldn't know a spreadsheet from a bedsheet.)

The ability to express your ideas with a fistful of markers on-the-spot, in an impromptu meeting for instance, adds immeasurably to the pages of socioeconomic data and policy documents you've brought along with you. It also will enhance communication with engineers, architects and other design professionals who will be tasked with shaping the land within the boundaries of the policies you may author and administer.

Don't lose heart. The magnitude and pace of change in this world ensures the future of generalist professions such as "Planning.

Texas Planner of TX @ Nov 10, 2009 19:32:33 PM

Urban Planner

I would like to say that this career can be somewhat rewarding. However you have to be a huge nerd that has little ambition in life. College is way tougher than this job. Most of the work urban planners do is BS that will never be read or implemented by anyone. I suggest you look for a different career. While it can be fun its way to slow and boring and all the policy with this job is the worst part.

Planner Ohio of OH @ Nov 10, 2009 11:42:06 AM

Get REAL!!!!!!

As an urban planner with a Master's in City and Regional Planning with a BA in Social Science, emphasis in Sociology & Political Science with a minor in Urban Planning and 13 years of experience I am SHOCKED that this profession is listed anywhere except on a list indicating the stupidest job choice in the WORLD!!!! I've been unemployed since May '09. In October '09 there are only 13 urban planning jobs listed in the entire state of CA on the National APA job site and two of those are for professors! At 44 I'm trying to get a job in anything and I can't even get an interview for a temp agency to do admin or a check-out clerk at the local Safeway!!!! Plus, anything in medical is asking for 2 or more years of experience in MEDICAL. Even if I pay for new training and go into more debt for the education there is no guarantee that I will find work since my fantastic urban planning experience will not transfer.

Therese of CA @ Nov 08, 2009 20:47:26 PM

Planner

Planning as one of the best jobs for 2009--hilarious. The colossal amount of BS you have to put up with, from public agency management and your latest edition of bozo councilpersons, makes for the most inane, soul-numbing career ever. I no longer wonder why veteran public planners all look like they're dead inside; its obvious. And as far as private practice... good luck on staying in business. Maybe when the housing market starts back up you can compete with all the other thousand laid-off planners for those hip positions espousing New Suburbanism (remember that?) or some such garbage.

Planning as a "profession" is a joke. Most planners are either technicians or bureaucrats. The ones who like their job and who encourage others to do it are the planning directors making six figures a year. Unfortunately, only a select few have the ability to claw their way through the local government planning office, waiting 15 years for the next senior planner to retire so they can finally achieve their dream of having their own office and pushing more paper around. Yay. What a career!

All I can say is, kids, DON'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY TELL YOU IN PLANNING SCHOOLS.

Planner of CA @ Nov 06, 2009 18:09:15 PM

Planning in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh planning profession is growing slowly.Day by day it showes its necessity.Being a planner,i hope it will be a demandable profession in bangladesh.But it needs some scopes where planners can play their role perfectly.We are waiting for that days...........

Nusrat Jahan @ Oct 24, 2009 00:06:28 AM

Congrats to US Planners!

Nice to learn that. It is growing in my Country, Bangladesh also. Being a planner, it is my pleasure to learn that US's best career is planning.

Sharif @ Oct 23, 2009 10:53:27 AM

The effectiveness of Planning depends actively on the environment

The effectiveness of Planning depends actively on the environment. Relevance of planning is not active in most of the developing worlds. Most at times, for example in my country, young graduates find it difficult to get job after graduation. I graduated in 2007 with B.Sc URP and since then, I've been unemployed as a result of my environment. I am looking for ways I could be self employed with my experience in planning. Please I need advice, suggestions and links for a way out. You can email me on: darlingtonikoku {at} gmail.com.

Ikoku Darlington @ Oct 19, 2009 05:22:20 AM

I agree

I know of someone who has enviable experience with urban design, but cannot find a position. All the experience does not count in this economy. It is now back to education, which in normal times, is an afterfthought. I am not downplaying education, but experience cannot be duplicated.

Trish,

Las Vegas

Patricia D of NV @ Oct 17, 2009 02:29:28 AM