Do you want to design smart cities and townships? Do you want to make living in a city more comfortable and easy for the people who live there by designing better cities? This blog offers a thorough explanation of the career as an Urban Planner, what an Urban Planner does, the various career paths one can take to become an Urban Planner and additional job opportunities as an Urban Planner.
What does an Urban Planner Do?
The nature of the work of an urban planner involves researching community needs and planning townships and community areas. The majority of planners spend a lot of time collaborating with others. They must give presentations, go to meetings, manage projects, and frequently work with developers, engineers, architects, and public officials.
- To ensure that all the facilities are provided, urban planners analyze the community’s needs and design plans to rebuild or create a community area.
- Discuss land use and development plans with the public, developers, and government representatives.
- All planners advocate for the optimum residential, commercial, or recreational use of a community’s land and resources.
- They work along the lines of environmental regulations.
- In order to address problems or achieve objectives, planners develop strategies using research.
- They review site plans they analyze environmental and economic data to plan better.
Job Roles
- Regional Planner
A regional planner is a specialist who uses land resources for improved development and reconstruction of regional areas.
- Project Planner
They take on the planning, execution, and monitoring of numerous projects, finishing them within the allocated time and under financial constraints.
- Surveyors
They are specialists who survey various aspects of land and write reports for urban planners.
- Plan Manager
A plan manager’s tasks include developing development plans, comprehending planning policies, and following planning rules.
- Economic Development Planner
They are professionals who aid in a community’s economic development by effectively utilizing the resources.
- Land Planner
These experts work with developers, and government officials to decide how to develop available land while taking economic, environmental, and population factors into consideration.
- Transport Planner
A transport planner can create transportation plans that satisfy the needs of various transport users.
Career path for becoming an Urban Planner
Path 1
- Complete 12th from Arts with Mathematics
- Take up B. Planning
- Pursue M.Plan in Urban Planning and Regional Planning
Path 2
- Complete 12th in Commerce with Mathematics
- Finish B. Planning
- Enrol for Postgraduate Diploma in Urban planning and Development
Path 3
- Finish 12th in Science with PCM (Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics)
- Take up B. Arch
- Study For M.Plan in Urban Planning and Regional Planning
Salary of an Urban Planner in different stages of career
Profile | Salary |
Regional Planner | ₹5 L |
Urban Planner | ₹6 L |
Transport Planner | ₹6.7 L |
Surveyors | ₹5.9 L |
Project Planner | ₹7 L |
Skills required to be an Urban Planner
- Interpersonal skills: Urban planners can benefit from having strong interpersonal skills since they frequently interact and collaborate with government representatives, developers, and project workers.
- Leadership: An urban planner must possess strong leadership qualities in order to manage large projects, guide the team working on them, and achieve project objectives.
- Planning skills: Urban planners must evaluate an area’s potential and develop practical plans to transform it into a space that urban residents can use.
- Decision-making skills: Urban planners evaluate all of the options as part of their job and select the one that will best fit the budget.
- Computer skills: Urban planners must be proficient with computers and computer programs in order to plan, design, and carry out a variety of urban projects.
- Creativity: An urban planner’s ability to envision urban structures and landscapes can be enhanced by their creative mindset.
Is Urban Planning a Good Career Option?
Graduates in urban planning have a wide range of options for careers. Opportunities exist in the housing industry as well as in transportation planning, conservation, the public sector, real estate, services companies, and non-profit housing institutions.
As governments and businesses look for fresh, creative approaches to these intricate global challenges, urban planners are in high demand. You can help create a more sustainable and inclusive future for future generations by working in town and regional planning.
Type of Industries Hiring Urban Planners
- Central Government
- State Government
- Transport Departments
- Schools
- Recreational land owners
- Constructing Companies
- Engineering Consulting Services
- Architectural Services
Top Recruiters for Urban Planners
- Townland Consultants
- ICRA Management Consulting
- CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solution
- Tata Consulting Engineers
Courses to Upskill as Urban Planner
- Ecodesign for Cities and Suburbs
- Site Planning
- Public Transportation System
- Smart Cities Management
- Urban Infrasture Management
Qualification to become Urban Planner
Most urban planners have a master’s degree in regional or urban planning, though applicants to these programs can come from a variety of fields, including economics, geography, political science, or environmental.
Undergraduate Degree in India
The following programs are 3 to 5 years long.
- B.Architecture
- B.Tech Civil Engineering
- B.Planning
- Bachelor in Environmental Design
Postgraduate Degree in India
The Duration of The course is 2 years.
- M.Plan in Urban Planning
- M.Plan in Urban Regional Planning
Degrees Abroad
Think about pursuing a Bachelor in Historic Preservation and Community Planning, a BS in Urban Planning, a BA in Urban Ecology, a BS in Planning, or a BS in Urban Studies as your undergraduate degree. To learn more about the subject in-depth, you can also pursue a master’s degree in planning.
Do you want to significantly raise your chances of being accepted abroad? Enrol in the Clever Harvey JuniorMBA course to add a practical project to your academic résumés.
If you want to enrol in foreign universities, you should start by studying for the TOEFL, IELTS, and SAT exams. To find out more about how to take the SAT, visit this blog.
I want to know More!
Books
- Happy City
- The Death and Life of Great American Cities
- Walkable City
- The Image of the City
- The City in History
- Confessions of a Recovering Engineer
- Cities for People
- Order Without Design
Famous Personalities
- Jane Jacobs
- Jaime Lerner
- Jan Gehl
- Andrés Duany
- Charles Marohn
- Donald Shoup
- Kevin Lynch
- Jeff Speck
- Janette Sadik-Khan
- Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk
If you want to improve the quality of life in your community, this is a great career to pursue. If you want to change the world, good luck on your quest to become an urban planner.
FAQs about the career as an Urban Planner
Can you make money as an urban planner?
Urban planners in India make an average of 6 lakh rupees per year, but there is a high demand for them, so the industry has a high earning potential.
What is the future of urban planning?
Future city planners will focus on issues like community development and public health to create thriving cities. To achieve this, it is essential to develop thriving downtown areas, human-powered and intermodal transit systems, and green spaces.
Is it hard to be an urban planner?
Being a successful urban planner requires a lot of effort and talent. Urban planning is a major that requires several years of undergraduate and graduate study before one can become a city planner.
Is urban planning stressful?
Yes, Urban Planning is a difficult career as it comes with a lot of responsibilities, but if you enjoy architecture and a bigger scope of applying it as in the case of urban planning you’ll definitely enjoy the career.
Which city has the best urban planning?
Brazil city has the best urban planning.