Town planner

You can study for a degree or a postgraduate qualification accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) .

Subjects include:

• planning, environment and development
• city and regional planning
• geography and planning
• urban planning and property development

You can do postgraduate qualification in planning if you have a degree in an unrelated subject.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

• a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

You could apply to do a Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship.

This can take around 5 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and study at university. Contact apprenticeship training providers for details.

Entry requirements

Most people following this route have:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels

You could start as a town planning assistant with an organisation and take further training while you work.

You'll need the backing of your employer and you'll combine practical experience with part-time or distance learning study towards an accredited planning qualification.

You'll find it useful to get as much work experience as possible. This will give you a better understanding of the career, and the contacts you make may help you to find paid work.

You can search for companies listed by the Royal Town Planning Institute or contact your local council to ask about opportunities.

Professional and Industry Bodies

You could join the Royal Town Planning Institute for networking, events and professional development training opportunities.

Further Information

You can find out more about careers in town planning from the Royal Town Planning Institute.

As a town planner, you may work on projects to:

• assess the impact of new road and rail links
• plan for housing, schools and energy generation sites, like wind farms
• conserve old buildings and archaeological sites
• redesign urban spaces and develop sustainable parks, woodlands and waterways

You could:

• develop local, regional or national planning policies
• assess technical information, site data and surveys
• make sure rules are followed in planning proposals and applications
• advise interested parties on regulations and policy
• prepare reports explaining planning decisions
• attend planning inquiries, hearings and appeals

We've identified this as a potential green job

For a town planner to be a green job, you could:

• work on plans for cycle routes to reduce car use and lower carbon emissions
• plan green areas in cities to improve air quality
• include renewable energy sources in plans

Find out more about green careers

You could work in an office or visit sites.