Planning and Architecture

Town Planning as a Green Career: Refreshing thoughts for young people

November 8, 2024 by planningarchitecture No Comments | Category Architecture, Green Spaces, Planning

This year World Town Planning Day coincides with Green Careers Week 2024. The Careers Week is a series of events aimed at supporting young people to consider the value of learning ‘green’ skills and considering future career path opportunities within the built and natural environments. By focusing on the ‘green’ sector, it highlights the value being able to genuinely make a difference to people’s lives and places. Nothing could be closer, therefore, than the synchronistic celebration of World Town Planning Day and the Scottish Government’s (SG) support for the planning profession with its green ambitions – particularly its net zero commitments for Scotland.

It was only just last month that Scotland’s First Minister spoke about how ‘in this century, defined by global crises, we must invest boldly to improve living standards, increase equality, and protect the planet’. A green and prosperous future is now embedded within this year’s Programme for Government (PfG) bringing it to the forefront of all those who make and apply policy as well as deliver developments.

Underpinning this commitment is, of course, the need for investment. That investment, however, is not just financial but is an investment in our brilliant young people who will be responsible for nurturing our future places.

That’s why Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Directorate (PARD) is in the process of enhancing Scotland’s planning skills and the number of planners across the profession. In doing so, we are keen to encourage more ‘green’ thinkers, creatives and believers in the power of building better places to be our future planners – regardless of whether young people have developed an arts or science specialism. Planning is so broad ranging, and impactful, that everyone’s talents and interests can pull together, across the profession, to collectively manage our climate, nature and long-term sustainability. Good planners make things happen in a way that works for society – so you can play an active part in delivering good quality and sustainable buildings together with the infrastructure that we need for a greener future.

So far, we have attended the Careers Hive, at the National Museum of Scotland, and participated in Edinburgh’s Immersive Careers Education event designed to give children (ranging from ages 11-14 years) a new way to think about their futures and how the value of ‘green’ choices can influence their career. After all, everyone will benefit from well considered design, fresh thinking and innovation in our day-to-day lives. We are also working hard to grow and support Scotland’s planning profession, including through the recently established Planning Hub and our commitment to a Scottish Government planning apprenticeship scheme for Graduates.

Next week, the Minister for Public Finance will be dropping-in, online, to welcome a group of aspiring young planners to our new ‘Recruitment Inspo Days’. These events, which will run on 14 November 2024 and 6 March 2025 (still time to book), have been designed to allow budding planning professionals to meet and chat with the SG’s planning team – all from different backgrounds – who are shaping the future of our places.

Overall, there can be no doubt that we are seeing new interest in planning and the far-reaching influence it can have on our world. This is an inspiring thought given that this year also marked the 170th birthday year of the father of town planning – Sir Patrick Geddes. He believed that spaces should be designed for nature, culture and people – a brilliant ambition which still influences our work today.

If you’re thinking about your future role why not ‘re-think’ it as ‘green’ and be one of Scotland’s planners who helps to shape a better future for people and places.

We wish you all a very Happy World Town Planning Day!

Courtesy of Edscifest – Careers Hive 2024

Courtesy of Edscifest – Careers Hive 2024

Tags: Scot gov planning

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