11 out of 12 recent planning graduates say profession suffers from information gap as apprenticeship crisis looms- What can be done?

The findings come at a critical time for the profession. In December, the Royal Town Planning Institute warned of an urgent recruitment crisis following government restrictions on Level 7 apprenticeship funding, which, from January 2026, could remove 200 planners per year from the pipeline.

 

Boyer surveyed employees who had graduated within the last five years to understand their experiences entering the profession and how effectively planning is marketed to young people. The findings expose challenges in bringing new people into the profession, and they matter more than ever as the government tries to deliver 1.5 million homes – a target that is highly dependent on having enough skilled planners. 

A hidden profession

When asked whether there is an information gap for those considering a career in planning, 11 out of 12 respondents said yes. This lack of awareness starts early. Only five respondents first heard about town planning at school, with four discovering it at university, often by chance rather than through structured careers guidance, which considerably reduces the number of 18-year-olds studying planning as a first degree.

 

9 out of 12 came into planning after undertaking other degrees first, often in geography, or worked in completely different fields before discovering the profession. One admitted they "fell into it" and it wasn't a deliberate career choice.

 

"Planning is not taught in schools," one explained. "The people I know on my planning course were there because of a family member or a friend." Another shared this sentiment, adding: "Many young people are unaware that this profession exists."

 

The structural barriers extend beyond awareness. The profession gets lost in the shadow of better-known careers, according to several respondents. One pointed out that planning is "overshadowed by more widely recognised careers in architecture, engineering or surveying, even though it intersects all of them." There's also an image problem with planning being written off as "unfulfilling and very technical" or dismissed as “bureaucratic and slow”.

 

Asking about misconceptions brought up the profession's identity crisis. "A large number of people I have spoken to have no idea what it is," said one graduate. Another noted that most people think planning is "just about maps or deciding where things should go – they don't grasp the juggling act of weighing up social, environmental and economic factors."

Marketing failures across the industry

When asked how well the planning profession is marketed to graduates, responses were mixed. One respondent rated it as "extremely poor," four rated it as "somewhat poor" and four rated it as "neutral." Only three felt it was marketed "somewhat well.”

 

Graduates offered clear suggestions for improvement. Multiple respondents called for employers to visit schools and sixth forms, not just universities. "Planning needs to be introduced earlier through school-level career guidance," one explained. "Many students pursue more widely recognised careers long before coming across planning."

 

Others highlighted the need for more opportunities for work experience. "Offer one or two days of unpaid experience to shadow a professional planner," suggested one respondent. Another called for "more summer internships," noting that opportunities are "far and few and so competitive it puts people off."

 

The requirement for an accredited degree was also identified as a hurdle. "Many students don't realise an RTPI-accredited degree is often needed to enter the profession," one graduate observed, calling for "more sponsorship opportunities for those without an accredited degree."

A rewarding profession once discovered

Despite the difficulties of discovering and entering the profession, the survey revealed that those who succeed in planning find it deeply rewarding. Respondents praised the variety of work, the intellectual challenge and the sense of purpose that comes from shaping communities.

 

"It's a very rewarding job and also interesting, with policy always changing; every day is different," said one. Another highlighted "the opportunity to contribute to shaping places and improving communities, which gives the work a strong sense of purpose."

 

When asked what surprised them most about working in planning, responses ranged from "how much you learn on the job" to "the variety of projects" and "the day-to-day life of a planner, which was very different from what I had learnt about planning in university."

 

The graduates were unanimous in one respect: they would recommend planning to others. "Yes, it's a very rewarding profession, particularly for individuals who appreciate a challenge and enjoy continually learning new things," said one respondent. Another simply advised prospective students: "Go for it – planning is a career that offers real purpose, is rewarding, varied and full of opportunities to continually learn and develop."

What needs to change

Graduates had clear ideas about what needs fixing. The biggest is to start earlier by getting planning into schools through career talks, geography classes and visits from professionals. "Planning was rarely, if ever, discussed at a school level, so many students don't encounter it until later or only discover it by chance," one explained.

 

Marketing needs an overhaul, too. Graduates would benefit from seeing what planners do on a day-to-day basis, with real-life examples of the impact they have and the range of projects they work on. "Show them how exciting it can be and how you can really progress," one said.

 

Employers need to engage more. Attending career fairs at universities isn’t enough; they should also visit colleges and sixth forms, showing students the different routes into planning. It was also found that there aren't enough internships or work experience placements. Students need a chance to try planning before committing to an entire degree or career in it.

 

Better recognition of planning's value to society and highlighting career development opportunities for progression were also mentioned as ways to make the profession more appealing. "The narrative needs to change from planning being a hindrance to planning being the crucial tool to facilitate high-quality development and positive commercial outcomes," one graduate argued.

 

Simon Atha, Director at Boyer, said: "As we celebrate World Town Planning Day 2025, these findings are important to note and something all employers within the planning and development industry should act on. We have a profession that people are passionate about and value working in once they discover it, but there is more to be done to reach potential future planners early enough. The government’s restriction on Level 7 chartered town planner apprenticeship funding makes an already difficult situation worse, potentially removing an estimated 200 planners per year from the pipeline at precisely the moment we need more, not fewer planners. 

 

“At Boyer, we have supported a number of Level 7 apprenticeships through the business. It provides a key route to overcoming a barrier to entry to the profession, particularly for those who cannot afford to self-fund a post-graduate degree or who are coming to planning following a career change.

 

“As an industry, we must do better at engaging with schools, offering work experience and showing young people what an exciting and rewarding career planning can be. At Boyer, we're committed to playing our part in addressing this challenge, but it will require action across the entire sector to secure the talent pipeline our profession needs."