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Who is a Urban Planner?
By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities ~ Socrates
In a career as an urban planner, an individual keeps his or her communities lively and healthy by keeping up with the increasing population, replacing, or re-purposing ageing infrastructure, adding schools, and making communities more attractive to businesses.
The world's population is growing day by day and as the population is growing, there is a need for new infrastructure. But, have you thought about how much planning and brainstorming is done before constructing a shopping mall? Well, the answer is a lot.
Several factors are considered before constructing a place like a shopping mall, like land value, population around the area, transportation, laws, pollution and several similar things. Who does that all for us? It is an urban planner. Urban planning careers require developing land use plans and programmes that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalise physical facilities.
An individual in an urban planning career develops plans and programs for land use in his or her jurisdiction. Here, in this article, we will discuss the details of how to become an Urban Planner in India, skills, roles and responsibilities and also the Urban Planner eligibility.
Urban Planner in a Nutshell
Urban Planning careers revolve around the idea of developing a plan to use the land optimally, without affecting the environment. Urban planning jobs are offered to those candidates who are skilled in making the right use of land to distribute the growing population, to create various communities.
Urban planning careers come with the opportunity to make changes to the existing cities and towns. They identify various community needs and make short and long-term plans accordingly.
Quick Facts for Urban Planner
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Industry
Construction
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Average Salary in India
₹200000
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Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
An urban planning career is suitable for all genders types, anybody can be an urban planner. Urban planning jobs are available for everyone without any gender restrictions.
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Any special needs
No
No, a career as an urban planner does not suit candidates with special needs. The urban planning career depends on sound mental and physical health. With a brain full of ideas an urban planning career requires a lot of travelling to multiple locations. The traveling hours often exceed the hours of work which is too hectic for candidates with special needs.
Table of Contents for Urban Planner
What is the role of Urban Planner?
Besides planning the infrastructure of the city, there is a lot involved in an urban planning career. Urban Planners meet with developers, public officials, and the people of the city regarding development plans and land use.
Individuals who opt for a career as urban planners collect and examine economic and environmental studies, censuses, and market research data.
Urban Planners performs field investigations to analyse factors affecting the land use view site plans given by developers assess the proposals and identify changes required. It is up to them whether they deny or accept the proposal, projects are sent to planning officials and planning commissions once approved.
Designing
The Urban Planner roles and responsibilities design the infrastructure of towns and cities. He or she is primarily focused on building healthy lifestyles and developing a better quality of life. He or she regenerates socially deprived areas and provides affordable housing facilities.
An urban planner conducts socio-economic impact assessment and demographic studies for designing and developing a sustainable infrastructure. He or she prepares reports based on environmental impact assessment, site assessment and demographic studies.
Frame policies
An urban planner is responsible for framing such policies for building an urban infrastructure that reduces the effects of climate change. Such policies are framed to protect the environment and for the management of traffic. He or she provides sustainable solutions for the needs of transport.
Improving energy efficiency
The Urban Planner roles and responsibilities include improving energy efficiency. He or she finds ways to cut out carbon emissions in our homes, factories, offices and other businesses.
Urban Planner is focused on building an environmentally friendly infrastructure. He or she ensures the participation of people in policy-making as these policies have a bigger impact on the everyday lifestyle of people.
Planning
An urban planner is responsible for preparing master plans, regional plans, sector plans, district plans and neighbourhood plans. He or she prepares physical layout plans for the development of infrastructure of residential, commercial, institutional, tourism and industry areas.
The role of an Urban Planner is to the recreation of old buildings and the development of new infrastructure for cities, towns and urban areas. An urban planner has direct control of the process of city development.
Types of a Urban Planner
There are several sub-disciplines of alternative careers for urban planners. One can specialise in any of the fields mentioned below with job titles to establish a successful career as an Urban Planner.
Urban Planner: Urban and community planners consult with government officials, developers, and the public about development projects and property usage. Enforce state plans or policies which impact land usage.
Data from market analysis, census records, and environmental and economic studies are compiled and analysed. An urban planner helps communities make the best use of their land and resources for future growth and revitalisation.
Urban Strategist: Urban strategists operate through local and regional scales to get people across the community to resolve challenging and complicated urban issues. And by using innovative thinking, strengthening structures and more flexible methods to improve environments and enhance people's quality of life.
An urban strategist plans and develops sophisticated commercial proposals using proprietary modelling and planning tools, and provides consultation on projects. It is one of the major sub-disciplines of a career as an urban strategist.
Urban Developer: Urban developers analyse designer-submitted architectural drawings. Urban developers establish strategies and programmes for land use that help build community, manage population growth, and help revive public infrastructure in towns, cities and metro cities.
An urban planner engages in dialogue with governments and other donor organisations on urban development thematic areas, promotes efficient use of resources and encourages participatory approaches to development planning, financing, and sustainability.
Landscape Architect: Landscape architects design beautiful, public parks, gardens, play areas, residential buildings, schools and universities and public areas.
In all of these settings, they also design the areas of houses, paths, walkways, plants, shrubs and trees. A landscape architect designs open spaces such as parks, playgrounds, and plazas.
What is the workplace/work environment of Urban Planner like?
Urban planning jobs in India generally provide working opportunities with government agencies, urban local bodies, municipal corporations, town planning departments, and the housing department. Certain urban planners also work with private companies that are involved in real estate development.
Individuals who opt for a career as an urban planner work in offices, and buildings and meeting with clients, local people or officials is a part of their day-to-day activity. Working on construction sites or a project is part and parcel of their daily routine. Thus the work includes both indoor and outdoor activities.
Does Urban Planner require travelling?
Likely
Yes, travelling is a mandate in a career as an Urban Planner. Urban Planning jobs involve visiting cities, and urban areas to get an overview to design a plan as per the community or people residing there that suits their needs.
Employment Shifts
Full Time, Part Time
A career as an Urban Planner provides full-time work during normal business hours, and some may work evenings or weekends to attend meetings with officials, planning commissions, and local groups.
Employment Nature
Permanent
Most employers hire a candidate for a permanent role in a company in the career of an Urban Planner. In rare cases, some companies hire a candidate on a contractual basis which might be the need of a project or to reduce their costs.
Work Place
Office, On- Field
Urban planning degree jobs require a candidate to work in an office, building, government office, construction sites and many more to make a plan for the project.
The basic work also requires analysing and collecting data which requires a candidate to travel to meet the necessary people to obtain the complete information required for the smooth functioning of a plan. On the other hand, a candidate needs to be flexible with the duration of work as there are no specific shifts.
Presence in Geographical Area
Rural, Semi-urban, Urban
The offices in which the planners work are mostly situated in urban areas. However, the sites are in semi-urban and rural areas which they transform into a city once they complete the plan or project. Indian states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are the important hubs for this profession.
Time Pressure
Likely
Urban planning jobs in India provide full-time work. However, one who is positioned for a senior post might feel some time pressure because of his or her duties.
Apart from this, urban planners rarely face any time pressure. When they are working in the field, experiencing raw weather conditions and surviving external factors can result in a little time pressure.
Overtime Details
Although Urban Planners spend most of their time in the office, they are required to travel to their job sites. And travelling sometimes causes them to work for long hours under stressful conditions. The chances of Urban Planners working overtime are considered as 50-50.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 50 Hours
The weekly hours of work vary from company to company so no specific work hours (9-10 hours daily minimum) for an Urban Planning career. Working overtime to complete a plan is almost a part of every project due to tight deadlines.
How to become a Urban Planner?
Steps to become a Urban Planner
If you are someone who thinks about developing your area or city or its infrastructure then you can opt for a career as a Urban Planner. If you are interested in planning, constructing and architectural fields and looking for how to become a how to become an Urban Planner in India then below we have given the steps.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Urban Planner?
Here, in this section, we have provided the skills required in urban planning career paths. All the urban planner requirements are mentioned below:
Open-Minded: An excellent urban planner understands that the process of developing the plans, in reality, can be tedious or exhausting. At the same time, such a process may also require some changes that you did not anticipate in the original plan. Because of this, you must have an open mind to accept whatever may come your way. Apart from this, do not shut people away just because they think differently from you. Always be open to suggestions and ideas.
Leadership: An urban planning career needs to have a quality of leader as he or she is the person responsible for driving a plan to become a reality. It is the sole responsibility of a planner to lead from the front and complete a plan in a given time frame.
Leadership techniques can make company owners inspire their workers influence them, and create a moral for them. Acknowledgement, good performance reviews and offering employees the information and techniques they require to succeed are important factors that enhance motivation.
Visionary: The ability to imagine physical and social alternatives to the existing urban context is an essential aspect of a career as an urban planner. An individual who opts for a career as an urban planner uses his or her vision to determine the future of the land. With a broader vision, a planner would be able to put and produce new ideas into action which in turn would result in a wonderful plan.
Leaders who could convey a convincing forward-looking vision that links with people could very well encourage them to participate in working towards that objective. Visionaries can express what is behind the horizon, and boost a lot of confidence. They draw an organisation's talent and inspire teams to create more strategic decisions.
Analytical Skills: Urban planners should possess strong analytical skills. They have to analyse information and data from a variety of sources, such as market research studies, censuses, and environmental impact studies. One needs to carefully assess and analyse the plan to obtain the best possible outcome with the resources efficiently.
Analytical skills are essential because they allow you to identify solutions to everyday difficulties and to determine what steps to take after that. Recognising issues and examining those for practical solutions is a crucial competency at all stages in a career as an Urban Planner.
Communication Skills: Communication in the workplace is essential to businesses as it helps organisations to be competitive and function efficiently. Workers will notice an increase in productivity, efficiency and engagement if they can communicate within a company.
In a career as an urban planner, an individual must communicate effectively because he or she has to interact with colleagues and stakeholders, prepare research reports, give presentations, and meet with a wide variety of audiences such as public officials, interest groups, and community members.
Decision-Making Skills: An urban career requires sharp decision-making skills. His or her ideas and decisions create infrastructure for big cities with a population of millions of people.
Keep in mind that a decision made by them is connected to millions of people who would be living in the infrastructure prepared by their plan. Since decisions make a plan into reality one should make the decisions that turn to the best in the given scenarios.
Listening: Individuals who opt for a career as an urban planner must also see to it that they exert an effort to let others know that they are listening to their concerns. Whenever someone calls you out for a potential error in your projects, do not get mad at them.
Instead, tell them that you are willing to change. At the same time, you can also ask for some advice from these people. They are the ones who can give you the best judgment for your work.
Popular Online Engineering Courses and Certifications
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Urban Planner?
We have provided below major certification courses for a career as an urban planner to enrich your skills and knowledge.
Internship Availability
Internships are a good way to have hands-on experience in a profession for the students before they land a job. Internships provide an opportunity to apply one's classroom learning in the field. One can get to know how it is to work in a certain field of his or her choice.
Internships not only help a student gain experience but also enable him or her to make contacts that can be of help in urban planning career prospects. Urban planning degree jobs are available in architecture firms, planning commissions, and urban water resource management. One could find an internship through online mediums, or could also contact the firm of his or her choice directly.
Career Path Progression for Urban Planner
Project Manager: A Project Manager is a professional who is responsible for planning, organising, and executing projects. He or she is in charge of leading teams, defining goals, communicating with stakeholders, and seeing a project through to its closure.
Senior Project Manager: A Senior Project Manager is a senior-level job role in the career of an Urban Planner. He or she is responsible for validating drawings, specifications, method statements, SOPs, design parameters and detailed schedules of designs required for the delivery of township, residential and commercial projects.
Urban Planner Jobs and Salaries
Project Manager
Job Description
A Project Manager job description includes planning and developing the project ideas and monitoring the project progression. He or she is responsible for solving the issues and managing the budget.
Salary Description
The Project Manager salary in India ranges between Rs 4.2 Lakhs to Rs 30.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 17.5 Lakhs.
(Salary Source: AmbitionBox)
Senior Project Manager
- Average Salary 200000
Job Description
The Senior Project Manager is in charge of leading teams to complete projects that cover several business units. The Senior Project Manager is in charge of the project's day-to-day activities. They provide guidance to the entire project team.
Salary Description
The salaries of senior project managers depend on career growth or rely entirely on the experience of the particular field. The senior project managers receive on average up to Rs. 24 lakhs a year.
What is the job outlook for Urban Planner?
The “Smart Cities Mission” has widened the area of employment in urban planning in upcoming years. The Planning jobs in the career as an Urban Planner would increase with the factor of the population which is growing each day around the globe.
Also, demographic, transportation and environmental changes will drive employment growth for planners. The fastest job growth for urban and regional planners will occur in the private sector, primarily in the professional, scientific, and technical services industries. Suburban areas are the fastest growing and most in need of professional design and planning.
Metropolitan areas will continue to require planners who specialise in revitalisation. Private, for-profit employer demand is expected to increase more dramatically than government employers as municipalities are expected to continue to struggle with shrinking budgets.
The job market scenario for Urban Planning would increase not only in public but also in the government sector resulting in the requirement of more and more planners. The urban planner requirements would not only be increasing in India but also would be increasing across the world.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Urban Planner
Que. What is urban planning?
Ans.Urban planning career provides an opportunity to opt for professions that concern itself with the health and quality of life of urban places, cities, small towns and rural villages.
Urban planners care for the environment, economy, environment, urban design and physical facilities, and the culture and politics of a city to maintain (or restore) the quality of life.
Que. Is urban planner a good career?
Ans.Yes, it is a good career to go ahead with. Urban planners need to have a lot of specific knowledge and experience to be good at their jobs, but they also need certain soft skills to help them manage the sometimes challenging environment of government work.
Que. What is an Urban Planner?
Ans.An urban planning career involves developing plans and programmes for the use of land. They use planning to create communities, accommodate growth, or revitalise physical facilities in towns, cities, counties and metropolitan areas.
Que. How often urban planners require travel?
Ans.It depends on the project that they are working on. A specific number of times in weeks or months cannot be determined as travelling is required to gather data from local people, meet clients, and government officials and analyse the location or land can vary from project to project.
Que. What are the top colleges for Urban Planning?
Ans.The top colleges for an Urban Planning career are the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur, College of Engineering, Trivandrum and Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat.
Que. Can you make a lot of money as an urban planner?
Ans.The average salary for an Urban Planner is Rs 69,400 per month in India. The average additional cash compensation for an Urban Planner in India is Rs 20,035, with a range from Rs 15 to 5,86,166 as per Glassdoor.
Que. Do urban planners make good money in India?
Ans.The highest salary that an Urban Planner can earn is Rs 10.5 Lakhs per year Rs 87.5k per month. An entry-level Urban Planner with less than three years of experience earns an average salary of Rs 4.6 Lakhs per year.
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Fact 1
Around 54 per cent of the world population currently lives in urban areas which is forecast to rise to 66 per cent by 2050
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