What originally drew me to local government, and what continues to motivate me to stay, is the strong sense of civic purpose that comes with the role. Local authority planning teams are often smaller than large consultancies, which means you can have a direct impact on the places where people live.
Career journey and role
My route into planning was not especially traditional. I was originally a physical geographer, with rivers being my favourite topic during my undergraduate degree, before discovering that human geography was actually pretty interesting too. I graduated with a BSc in Geography in 2020 before completing a PGCE in Secondary Geography in 2021. By the end of the course, however, I had realised that teaching was not the right long-term fit for me. While trying to decide what to do next, I remembered a module from the first year of my undergraduate degree that introduced me to the idea of “planning”.
I joined Preston City Council in 2021 on a 12-month contract as a Planning Assistant within Development Management. After around four months, I was approached by the then Planning Policy Manager and asked whether I would be interested in moving into Planning Policy on a permanent career-grade post. After successfully making the switch, I enrolled onto the Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Degree Apprenticeship in 2022, graduating in December 2025. Since then, I have progressed to become a Senior Planning Officer within Preston’s Planning Policy team.
My role in Planning Policy is incredibly varied, I have supported the Central Lancashire Local Plan through examination, led on neighbourhood plans, among other things. No two days are the same, and that variety keeps the role engaging and rewarding.
Value of working in local government
Local government planning offers a breadth of experience that is difficult to match elsewhere. Public sector planners are involved in a wide range of projects and are often at the centre of shaping places and advocating for their communities. That variety allows you to develop a broad skillset early in your career.
Equally important to me are the values behind public sector planning. I value being able to contribute positively to communities across Preston and to support outcomes that balance social, environmental and economic priorities in the public interest.
In my experience, local government also offers an excellent work-life balance, with flexibility and a supportive working culture that is especially valuable in what can be a demanding profession. There is also a level of long-term stability that allows you to grow and develop professionally over time.
One misconception I would like to challenge is the idea that local authority planning is where less ambitious planners go. In reality, public sector planners manage incredibly varied workloads and develop strong technical and professional skills across a broad range of planning disciplines. That experience is highly valued across the wider profession, including within the private sector.
Chartership
I received my Chartership in September 2025, alongside an APC Commendation. As part of my Degree Apprenticeship, becoming Chartered was the formal end point of the programme, but its importance goes far beyond meeting a course requirement. For me, chartership represents independent recognition that I meet the professional standards expected of a planner and demonstrates a clear commitment to the profession.
I found the APC process particularly valuable because it gave me the opportunity to reflect properly on the breadth of my experience, from local plan preparation and neighbourhood planning to heritage work and appeals. It helped me articulate how those experiences had strengthened my competence, judgement and confidence as a planner.
My main advice for anyone starting the process would be to stay organised from the outset. Read the guidance carefully, plan your timeline realistically, and, if possible, find a mentor who understands the process and can act as a critical friend. I also found it useful to think about my submission as telling a story with a beginning, middle and end: setting the context, explaining the challenges and demonstrating the outcomes and reflections.
Advice
First, stay organised. Planning is a broad profession, and early career development can move quickly, so having a clear system for tracking your work, reflections and achievements is incredibly helpful. It also builds good habits for the future.
Second, ask questions and learn from the people around you. Planning works best collaboratively, and some of the best professional development comes from being open to guidance from more experienced colleagues. You would be surprised how willing people are to share their knowledge if you simply ask.
Third, I would strongly recommend getting involved with professional bodies and networks, whether that is the RTPI, TCPA, POS or others. The opportunities these organisations provide can be invaluable, particularly early in your career, and they are always keen to involve early career planners and bring in new perspectives.
The advice I would give my younger self is not to worry about having a perfectly mapped-out career. My own route into planning was unexpected, but it led me to a profession that I genuinely enjoy and care about. Confidence and knowledge do not appear overnight, and planning is such a broad and complex profession that it takes time to understand the legislation, policy, decision-making and language of the system. You will never know everything, and that is okay. What matters most is staying curious and continuing to develop your skills and experience.