Discover more about the career options available to you through Pathways to Planning.
The Pathways to Planning scheme offers two career strands: planning and surveying. Each of these strands will have a variety of job roles available, ranging from generalist positions to more specialist posts. No previous experience in the field is needed to apply to the programme.
From the assessment centre onwards, your application will only be considered for roles within the career strand you have selected. If you pass the assessment centre, you will be provided with information about the specific job roles available at employers taking part in the programme. Your preferences will help determine where you attend interview. At the interview stage, employers will discuss what qualification will accompany their role: they will select an accredited qualification which will enhance your growth and effectiveness on the job. Courses will be accredited, by bodies such as the RICS, RTPI, RIBA and/or CIEEM.
The Pathways programme is designed for participants to work and study at the same time, usually on average spending four days at work and one day studying each week for a period of two years. Studying on an accredited master’s course is a requirement of the Pathways scheme because this qualification is essential for your career and to progress as a planner or surveyor. You will receive time off work to attend university classes, and support from your line manager in balancing work and study. The Pathways to Planning programme funds this graduate study.
What is planning?
At its most basic level, planning is concerned with what will be built, and where. In a council, a planner’s job is to take into consideration a huge range of factors when making decisions about the development of their local area. Planners often have the final say about which projects go ahead: their work really does shape communities now and for the future. The majority of roles on our planning stream will be based in local authorities, but we will also offer some roles based in public bodies (like the Environment Agency) and others working on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
What is a surveyor?
The duties of a chartered surveyor are far-reaching, and the profession doesn’t have just one job description. In basic terms, they are responsible for valuing property, performing structural surveys and managing complex construction projects. They train to become highly skilled experts in their field and can provide advice on a range of subjects, including construction financing, contracts, environmental issues, impact, and structural defects, to name a few. Graduates on Pathways to Planning will build this knowledge as they work and study, and will work to obtain their chartered status from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or another accrediting body. On this pathway, you’ll require the ability to think technically and work with numbers.
Different types of planning
There is a wide range of different types of role within planning. Here are examples of some you may encounter:
Different types of surveying
Surveyors play a key role in construction and in keeping things running. As well as being used in construction projects, surveyors can work in countless key areas, such as transportation, environmental issues, communication, scientific research, and regeneration.
The core competencies of the Pathways to Planning programme represent the core skills that each surveyor needs for the role. You will learn technical skills and develop your numeracy on the job and through your postgraduate study. Job roles for surveyors include the following: