have graduated in Geography, masters in Geography and Masters in Urban Planning, knowledge of Gis software and have approximately 14400 hours of work experience Belongs to India 9654456782
Be sure to mod the game heavily. The base game is really frustrating if you want to make your city look realistic and aesthetically pleasing. With mods it's an absolute masterpiece and a city planners wet dream. Currently building a sort of replica of the city I live in and it's starting to look like the real thing.
guatemalantomcat- you may be joking, but I have a Masters in Urban Planning, and I only use it for City:Skylines ;) (I have a job in a totally different field from my studies).
Legit you can learn more from cities skylines... because every time you fail in a game you've learnt what not to do... when you implement (with mods) planners ideas you see how they fail. my only gripe is that the buildings don't really seem to be scaled correctly (e.g. a detached house and skyscraper). Videogames like city skylines is a pretty damn good teaching method. obviously though ofcourse it wont teach you how to make connections with the appropriate dudes to make shit happen. Why? Cause u gawd.
This video omits a few problems. First, there are very jobs in planning, at least in Chicago, even though the Chicago metropolitan area has more municipalities and other sub-state governments than any other metro area in the US. A degree in urban planning will get you job, but it will most likely not be as a “urban planner.” The second issue, which this video does touch on, is that as a planner, you are more or less just part of the a city’s bureaucracy, and for the most part, planners get relegated to reviewing construction and business applications or grant applications or grant management, every once in a while there might be the opportunity to do something more planning-related. Of course, I speak from experience, if you do decide to go to school, don’t forget to take classes that will give you some hard skills, like GIS or data analysis, otherwise your urban planning degree is as valuable as any other liberal arts degree
True! My experience is working at a consulting firm doing long range planning, so my experience is definitely different than a planner working at a planning counter reviewing projects. I'm also on the West Coast, where there is a lot of growth and the planning industry is growing too.
I'm actually going to study Geography! It's a pretty broad field so I'll still have some time to see what I'll actually end up liking the most and what area I would want to work in. Urban-planning is definitely an option, thanks for your videos!
I am an architect with a master's degree in architecture and an MBA. I worked as an architect for few years, then switched careers many times becoming a Project Manager, Realtor...etc. I was very good in every career I took but never felt satisfied. I always felt ithat city planning was probably the right path for me; I was always obsessed by maps, love to have a global view and have a very strong desire to create "utopias" and make other people's lives better. Unfortunately I am 43 years old now and it's too late to switch. I take solace in watching your videos. You are probably everything I wanted to be! Keep up the awesome work.
Hi! I am an aspiring City planner/ Substainable Architect. Your videos really do help me see the day-to-day tasks that city planner deal with. I live in Buffalo so, city planning is a really big thing because we're going through re-vitalization. Thank you and keep up the good work!
I studied Architecture for 2 years but I had much more fun doing the urban planning project. Now I changed and I'm going to start to study urban planning and I'm really looking forward to it!! Love this channel
This was really great. I loved the information. What is limiting me from finding a career I can see myself passionate about pursuing is that I cannot imagine a day in the life. You hit some of it when you explained private v. public jobs. Would you consider doing a video delving deeper into what the day to day is like in this field?
Honestly one reason whats keeping me from getting a master’s is student loans. Im going to graduate with a undergrad degree and im thankful ill get out with 0 debt
I love your channel, Dave! It's so informative and entertaining. As a student looking to study city planning, I have a few questions: What are the best parts of being a planner, and what are the worst? What are the most essential skills to work on before entering the field? Thanks for all of the wonderful videos!
Thanks Jack! My favorite part of being a planner is looking for solutions for real-world, often tangible solutions to urban problems. The worst part about being a planner is that many of those solutions are in plans we write, which can take a long time to get implemented, if ever. Patience is a virtue that I lack sometimes. As for skills, planners need great oral and written communication skills. You have to communicate complex ideas to decision makers and the general public and it's a skill that takes practice. Most planners need some experience with GIS and a basic understanding of graphics software helps. Good luck!
I always love watching your videos. It inspires me even further to become a City Planner someday. Currently have a degree for Architecture and planning to take Urban and Regional Planning (it's Environmental Planning's counterpart here in the Philippines) and later take Transportation Planning. I'm learning a lot from your videos. Hope you continue to publish more vids in the future!
i’ve been thinking about becoming a city planner for a couple years now i’m a sophmore is highschool. what i am worried about is my expectations are wayyyy to high. i want to design cities/towns. but you make it sound so much harder😂. i am also worried about the diversity. i am hispanic and i would not want to be the only hispanic💀.
I'm a 32 year old black man. People of color need to pursue careers like this. I'm currently looking up schools and programs for me to get this process started. You're a sophomore in high school. Start pursuing this career NOW. Don't let time fly by like I did.
Please don't let a lack of diversity discourage you. :( I've been in plenty of offices as the only Black woman (UX Designer here though). That future office needs you and your perspective. You'll be able to uncover important details that require empathy. They should be thankful and your community will be too.
These days, there is no conceivable way anyone will discriminate against you for being any kind of non-White person. The consequences for them doing so would ruin them.
You mentioned you made the mistake of not doing internships during your undergrad career, which made it difficult to get into your first position. I'm curious, how did you overcome this lack of professional experience? Are there stepping stone jobs or post-graduation internships one should focus on if the opportunity for internships (which are generally limited to current full time students) is missed?
Can you make videos based around different career areas in planning such as economic development, land use planning, transportation, and a day in the life...Etc .. thx
I studied urban planning here in Montreal, but realized it wasn't for me. Now, I'm studying my master's degree in mangement of sustainability, creativity and innovation in hopes of merging those new skills with my urban planning knowledge and have a positive impact on cities!
I came here to see if my degree mattered. I'm in my last year as a psychology student and I realized my passion for city planning, geography, and environmentalism far outweighed my desire to be a counselor. I just never considered this job before! But it is definitely something I want to pursue.
Great video, I'm about to finish my BA in history, and I'm gravitating towards this, maybe not as a city planner, but I'm really interested in incorporating it to my research, maybe policymaking or consultancy. Thanks!
Super excited! I'm studying to go into this field. I go to a big university, so we have a city planning degree. Most of the jobs I've looked at you do not need a master's degree, just a degree related to planning, but most of them want at least a couple years of experience unless it is a junior level or entry level position (which pay decently anyway).
Thanks for the channel! I am a second year student at the School of Urban and Regional Planning (The University of Iowa) and I look forward to working as a planner after graduation!
Great video! I am currently a junior in highschool, and I am very interested in becoming a city planner. I have arranged meetings with my local city planners to learn a bit more about the job, but do you think there are other things that I could do as a high schooler to try and become a better potential city planner?
Hey Kai! It's great that you are already making progress toward your goal of becoming a city planner! One thing you could do in high school is read a few of the standard planning books -- this was something I did at your age to get inspired. To get started, I'd recommend "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs. It's an absolute classic and fairly readable; Jacobs was a journalist, not a professional planner. I also really like "Crabgrass Frontier" by Kenneth Jackson. It's an excellent history of U.S. land use and transportation planning and is also a pretty easy read. Let me know if you have other questions!
Consider joining The School of Urban and Regional Planning (The University of Iowa). It's a great master program with a family atmosphere. I'm a second year student there and loving it!
Can you please make a video that goes into a deeper look at step 3? I also messed up and didn't get any experience and I'm really struggling. maybe talk about what you did in particular after not getting those jobs? or other ways of getting experience outside of school/ after graduation.
Great video as always! Could you possibly say how good the job market is? Like if you get a degree from a decent university and are quite professional and intelligent, are you guaranteed a job more or less? Also could you possibly take us through your daily life in the job one time? Thanks again.
I don't know if your still looking for an answer 1 year later but I'll give it to you anyway. The job market for urban planning is massive in growing cities but you're never "guaranteed" a job. You definitely don't have to worry about not finding work if you are a relatively competitive candidate in a fast growing city.
When I was about to graduate high school I seriously considered this career path, but in my country the only urban planning program was closely linked to design and architecture and had much less of an statistical/mathematical approach. There was going to be for example a lot of drafting (by hand/rapidograph) and cardboard model making, all which I hated so I decided to go for engineering. I'm not complaining about my career choice but these videos do make me wonder "what if"
Great video! I wonder why it's only have a few viewers for this enlighting video. I'm Fardhan and i'm a final year undergradute student of urban & regional planning program in Indonesia. I have been thinking lately about how do i continue my journey to become a urban planner. Firstly about whether i get a job first or directly continue my studies. And if i choose to continue my studies then "where would i go?". I was hoping that i can ask you about the options of the variety of urban planning program and how to choose it. Thank You
All the books you recommend and content you put out, I think you would really enjoy the tongue in cheek lyrics to Rodriguez’ song “Heikki Suburbia Bus Tour” and a lot of his others including “Inner City Blues” and “Can’t Get Away”. He’s a working man who grew up and lived his whole life in Detroit, I don’t think he has any history in City Planning. But the observations he makes in his songs tie very closely together with the themes you cover in your videos. I think you’d find his songwriting interesting, and I personally would find it very interesting for you to do a video of how City Planning and other themes you cover have been portrayed by a lot of our favorite songs and music over the years!
Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of your work. Despite the direction I’ve gone with my background in music, songwriting, illustration and truck driving, I enjoyed wasting months of my childhood becoming a SimCity master and even considered city planning for my future career. Your videos (as well as those of your educational TH-cam affiliates) are absolutely addictive, my daily dose of nerd porn as I like to call it hahaha. Very high quality and informative. And they highly influence my songwriting. You and Wendover Productions will easily deserve credit by the time I put out my first three albums. Just thought I’d let you know you’ve had some influence, artistic influence even, not sure if you’d have expected that! TL;DR Good stuff, Keep it coming
Realizing now after watching all the city beautiful videos (after notJustBikes, playing sim city/city skylines, and imagining what green cities could look like) that I am in the perfect position to become a city planner as I work on my environmental science degree. I still want organizing for food systems to be my main thing though, at least at the moment. Maybe I could do both? City planning on the side? Either way thanks for making these videos! They're educating and inspiring.
My Personal Experience 1. Play Sim City and Sims for most of my life 2. Realized I loved maps and demographics 3. Majored in Geoscience with a concentration in Meteorology and GIS 4. Realized the math for meteorology was too hard 5. Focused on GIS 6. Intern as GIS tech for planning office 7. Went to Grad school for City and Regional Planning 8. Various internships 9. Currently a project planner for a government in West TN
I’m currently a Junior majoring in Geography. I chose Geography as a major because I have been interested in maps since I was little and also because I wanted to avoid going into a social science where the only viable job option is to become a professor. This is because I have a learning disability, and as a result I don’t think I could handle the constant stress associated with working in academia. I need periodic breaks to maintain my mental well-being. Also, because of my disability, I have problems doing certain types of computer related work, including GIS. I since decided that I do not want a job in Geography because I have discovered that it is too reliant on GIS and STEM fields. After taking an Urban Planning class I decided Urban Planning could be good alternative since it seems more social science related. However, after watching this, I’m worried that like Geography, it depends too much on STEM and GIS. After watching this, I’m also a little worried that like in academia, as a planner I would be under constant stress that I could not handle and would not get the periodic breaks I need. What do you think, based on my situation? Is Planning the right for me? Also, what specialties should I opt for or avoid based on my situation?
Hi Anthony! It's hard to know if planning is right for you without knowing the exact nature of your learning disability. That said, there are many different kinds of planning and I'm guessing that there is something for you. You could look into "current planning," where planning technicians work to apply zoning and building codes for new development. These planners work for city governments and review development applications to ensure they meet the city's requirements. If you like working with people, you may be interested in working for a firm that specializes in community outreach. In this role you would be assisting or managing the public outreach associated with planning projects. This would mean planning and conducting community workshops, reaching out to key stakeholders, and drafting press releases. There's a whole field of planning law, particularly environmental law. I would encourage you to look at these sub-fields and others to find something that could work for you. Good luck!
Hey City Beautiful, I'm doing History,Geography and IT as main studies in the UK. Is that enough for city planning because I'm fascinated about the career. Reasons: Geography- main degree IT- design and CAD for city planning History- Can help learn and preserve historical sites, especially for tourism purposes and planning in general! I'm only in High school but still find city planning fascinating
Great video. Very interesting. One quibble. At 1:16 you used an image from the groundbreaking of the Honolulu Rapid Transit. I think the jury is definitely out on whether this is making a "positive contribution".
Hi Dave, This video was really great and exciting for me. A lot of the questions you answered were questions I had been asking myself for a long time. This was especially significant when you speak about getting a master if you have a BS that isn't directly connected to urban planning. I expect to graduate in May of 2019 with a BS in psychology and a certificate from the Purdue School of Engineering in sustainable technologies. My long-term goal is to become an urban planner and tie sustainable principles and technology to it but I am worried about whether I could get a job in city planning with that degree and certification. Would you say it'd be almost necessay for me to obtain my masters if I want to be a serious urban planner?
Hi there thank you for the video, i'm actually a bachelor student of Regional and Urban Planning, with a focused stream of transportation planning. I study in my home country, Indonesia. I hope we can discuss more about planning because it will be so much different between developed country like the US and developing country like mine. In here, especially in the transportation sector we are challenged by transportation mafia! Yes, because of that we lack on transportation network and infrastructure
between 2005 and 2013 many planners who finished school could find a job (U.S and Canada) as there was over saturation and the older people are not retiring. Same with most positions dealing with government Become a plumber instead. Most of it now is social planning and renewal, neighborhood and highrise renewal. A new field linked to civil engineering is Public asset renewal, fix the crumbling highways and overpasses that are falling apart...especially in the north due to the weather.
The next question is why anyone would want to become a city planner. Planners are continually trying to satisfy elected officials while negotiating a minefield between developers and concerned citizens. I have a friend who is a planner who has spoken to me about the frustrations of dealing with the county board of supervisors, the priorities of which change with each election. I myself have been in the position multiple times of being in heated arguments with planners during presentations on proposed developments. While the work seems interesting, continually having to deal with politicians, developers, and concerned citizens must suck.
Word of advice: Get an internship before you graduate from University!!! I got the undergraduate degree in Environmental planning, but I didn't do an internship before I graduated, which makes it much more difficult after you graduate
If I may ask, what are you currently doing with your undergrad degree? I also failed to get an internship before graduating and feel like my only option is to go back to school and apply for internships if I ever want a career in my field.
Hey Julian -- I used to be a land use planner! Now that I'm back in school, my specialty is urban design. I have a degree in architecture as well! Hope you're getting at least a little sleep.
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. However, I think you can do better in the speaking tone. So that it can appear not rushing and rather a bit plain, probably you want to look at the Crash Course, they have speakers with fast pace but interactive and engaging. So, more comfortable and interested to be listened moreover when you have long speech in the video.
The first week in planning school hit me like a ton of bricks when I figured out that Robert Moses, and Daniel Burnham were seen as examples of what not to do. Wish I watched this video first
Hi! Thank you for making this great video. I enjoyed it a lot! Do you have any advice or suggestion for people like me, who don't have a degree or any experience in urban design or related subject in college, to make a way into in this field? I am thinking about the step 5 as you mentioned in the video, to go to a graduate school, but don't know where to start, such as what to study or what to prepare for the admission test. It will be really helpful to hear from a profession in the city planning industry. Thank you very much!!!
Other than internships, is there such as thing as entry-level city planning work? I'm in my 30's and work full-time. I would love to get on low-level staff at a planning department, and then hopefully work my way up. My BA is in Political Science. I might be willing to get an MA in Urban Planning, but only if I felt like there was a high chance of the degree paying off. If I could get some sort of paid planning experience while I get my MA in Urban Planning on the side, that would be ideal.
I feel this. Working in accounting and considering a change. My local town also has a planning committee, so I've applied to that to see if I can get in, and what can be done from there.
This is good video!!! I am also interested in cities, transportation, housing and geography also politics and also want to be a politician and even reach being Philippine President
Airplane Plus Train Guy wut? you seriously want to be the president of the philippines? kaya mo bang banggain ang mga elites and oligarchs na nagpapatakbo ng pinas? maski si duterte nga hindi kaya banggain ang mga yan eh....
Lugi ka sir, malakas dating ng mayayaman at kilalang tao, mahihirapan ka mag hikayat ng mga botante unless tumatakbo ka na sa isang probinsya at kilala na sa mga kalapit na lugar baka dyan kaya pa, pero malabo pag presidente ಥ‿ಥ
I have a bachelor's degree in sociology in South Africa. I'm also interested in city planning. How do you consider specialities, do you do short courses?
Hello! Thanks for making this video! Its given me a lot of good advice to think about! I want to study urban planning a year from now, but there is one worry I have... You mentioned that politics is involved, however I on principle do not want to get involved in politics or publicly "choose a side". Will this make it hard for me to get a job, or does it just mean your projects might change depending on the administration?
As a planner you do not have to choose a side. Most career planners in the public sector work through multiple administrations without a problem. It just means that priorities might change, that's all.
Awesome video. I’m wondering how you started in the field without the internship experience employers look for. I graduated with a degree in Geography and Urban Studies but my interests led me into Building Engineering. As a graduate without an city planning internship, how would I get into that field?
After working outside the field, I went back to graduate school for planning and got internships then. That's one way to do it! Otherwise, are you financially able to do an internship now? With your degree, though, you might be able to get an entry level job?
I love your videos! I just graduated with a BS is Urban Studies & Planning but I had to work full time and couldn't get an internship. I graduated with high honors, but I was wondering if you had advice for me in regard to finding a job, especially in this current economy? Is there any way to get one in the field without having an internship? Thank you!!
hello! i know that i am commenting on quite an old video, but i do have a question. i am currently a junior in high school who is interested in both architecture and urban design. i do see myself gravitating more towards urban design in my future. for college, though, would it be a good plan to study architecture for undergrad (and minor in urban design if possible) and then urban design in grad school? also, just for clarification, i want to focus more on “fixing” areas (ex infill development)- is urban design the right fit for me?
Hello! Question to anyone out there- I am currently a graphic designer and Ive been feeling turned off and disgusted by the marketing world in our current day. Ive been thinking of a career change but nervous because that's a big step, but urban planning keeps getting me excited and really genuinely interests me. It feels almost impossible to change careers 3 years in (still young, I know) is it possible to get into urban planning (specifically things like transportation, community dev) without either going back to get another bachelors or having an internship? Its hard to think about supporting my adult life on internship pay (if any). I have a bachelors of fine arts for graphic design- if I was to go back and get an associates, what would be some areas/classes to focus on that would get me in the door? Thank you for any and all information!!
How crucial is understanding GIS? I'm an undergrad interested in planning and I'm wondering if I should add the GIS minor. I don't actually rly like GIS but I'll do it if I need to
I already have a bachelor's degree (unemployable) and am trying to break into an interesting career. City planning has always been a pretty big interest of mine, but it seems I can't get an entry level job in my region without a master's in planning OR a bachelor's in planning + 1 year of experience. If you have just graduated with a bachelor's in planning, how are you supposed to get a job?? The local master's program here requires work experience to get in lmao.
if I get my bachelor's in Urban Studies and Planning can I get a job? Or do I need a Masters's? This is a question that no one has been able to give me an exact answer to.
Hey I start College in a couple months. I will be majoring in Sustainable Community Development, Minoring in GIS, and planning on getting a Masters after. Is this a good path?
I love your videos and find urban planning to be very interesting, but I don't think I could ever deal with all the various resident groups (with competing interests, and NIMBY attitudes), or the changing plans from politicians.
If I get a planning degree in the US, is it possible to get a planning job in the UK for example? Or are the planning systems too different to transfer those skills?
City Beautiful, great video! I recently graduated from undergrad this past May, I was wondering how can you do this type of work without a higher up graduate degree? I am in the process of applying to grad school in planning eventually, but is their any way to obtain a professional planning position (either Public, Consulting/For-Profit or Non-Profit sectors) without going to a PAB-accredited planning program?
I can only speak from my personal experience, but I worked for a consulting firm that hired undergraduates. Many started with the title "Research Assistant" before moving into "Planner," but they still received excellent experience in the planning field. I'd recommend looking at the bios of people working in planning firms and local agencies in your area. I bet you'll find some that have hired people right out of college. I'd also recommend networking with young planners in your area. Where I live, there is a young planners organization through the local APA chapter. Those folks might be able to point you to the firms and agencies that would be most willing to hire you. Good luck!
There's definitely some overlap. Are you thinking about going to grad school for planning or trying to get a job in planning? If you're thinking about graduate school, it's a great undergrad major. People get planning masters degrees coming in with all kinds of majors, but civil engineering has that overlap. If you're looking to get a job, it might be harder. Employers expect great writers, solid communicators, and at least a basic understanding of common planning concepts, all of which aren't emphasized the same way in an engineering program. This is just my perspective though! Good luck!
Hi , I'm from India currently an undergraduate student in geography . I'm really looking forward to be an urban town planner or GIS analyst . Can u help me with how should I proceed in life towards my goal ?
I want to go into trail planning, have a masters in urban planning, but have been told that folks want landscape architecture degrees. What skills specifically are they looking for from M.Arch that planners don't typically have? I have also interned for environmental, land-use, and transportation public agencies already.
Folks with landscape architecture or architecture degrees are expected to have a solid knowledge of design tools, which may include Adobe Creative Suite, CAD software, 3D modeling software. Additionally they may have good hand drawing skills. People with those degrees also have spent time honing their design process, which is a different way of thinking about and solving problems. So often they have a different perspective than planners.
You are very wrong that city planning need degree. Like there are many abandoned towns in US and Australia. Once you buy it, you can build it as you see fit. Or if you are super rich, you can try to build those gated communities on large scale
I ended up getting a job at a nonprofit that was not in the field of planning. After a few years I went back to graduate school and did an internship then.
are you telling me that my 1000 experience-hours in Cities Skylines aren't good enough?
Put it on your resume and see what happens! ;)
@@CityBeautiful Nope didnt work. ;(
VEGA get in my level, I have 1400 hours of experience
have graduated in Geography, masters in Geography and Masters in Urban Planning, knowledge of Gis software and have approximately 14400 hours of work experience
Belongs to India
9654456782
VEGA lol
What if you get a degree just so you can improve your ability in cities: skylines?
I need to try that game!
Be sure to mod the game heavily. The base game is really frustrating if you want to make your city look realistic and aesthetically pleasing. With mods it's an absolute masterpiece and a city planners wet dream. Currently building a sort of replica of the city I live in and it's starting to look like the real thing.
guatemalantomcat- you may be joking, but I have a Masters in Urban Planning, and I only use it for City:Skylines ;) (I have a job in a totally different field from my studies).
Legit you can learn more from cities skylines... because every time you fail in a game you've learnt what not to do... when you implement (with mods) planners ideas you see how they fail. my only gripe is that the buildings don't really seem to be scaled correctly (e.g. a detached house and skyscraper). Videogames like city skylines is a pretty damn good teaching method. obviously though ofcourse it wont teach you how to make connections with the appropriate dudes to make shit happen. Why? Cause u gawd.
That is the end game.
This video omits a few problems. First, there are very jobs in planning, at least in Chicago, even though the Chicago metropolitan area has more municipalities and other sub-state governments than any other metro area in the US. A degree in urban planning will get you job, but it will most likely not be as a “urban planner.” The second issue, which this video does touch on, is that as a planner, you are more or less just part of the a city’s bureaucracy, and for the most part, planners get relegated to reviewing construction and business applications or grant applications or grant management, every once in a while there might be the opportunity to do something more planning-related. Of course, I speak from experience, if you do decide to go to school, don’t forget to take classes that will give you some hard skills, like GIS or data analysis, otherwise your urban planning degree is as valuable as any other liberal arts degree
True! My experience is working at a consulting firm doing long range planning, so my experience is definitely different than a planner working at a planning counter reviewing projects. I'm also on the West Coast, where there is a lot of growth and the planning industry is growing too.
150 hrs of playing simciy 4 on my current PC and hundreds more on my old computers. I think this was meant for me.
I know a dude who has 5000 hours on Gmod. What is his specialty?
@@MrStronglime either a software engineer or a mechanical engineer
@@versace6609 I think the point was that 150 hours and a couple more are nothing.
On the other hand, you are absolutely right.
Same XD
I'm actually going to study Geography! It's a pretty broad field so I'll still have some time to see what I'll actually end up liking the most and what area I would want to work in. Urban-planning is definitely an option, thanks for your videos!
I am an architect with a master's degree in architecture and an MBA. I worked as an architect for few years, then switched careers many times becoming a Project Manager, Realtor...etc. I was very good in every career I took but never felt satisfied. I always felt ithat city planning was probably the right path for me; I was always obsessed by maps, love to have a global view and have a very strong desire to create "utopias" and make other people's lives better. Unfortunately I am 43 years old now and it's too late to switch. I take solace in watching your videos. You are probably everything I wanted to be! Keep up the awesome work.
You are only 43 and are likely to live pass the age of 80. You still have plenty of time.
What an excuse
43 is NOT too late.
Hi! I am an aspiring City planner/ Substainable Architect. Your videos really do help me see the day-to-day tasks that city planner deal with. I live in Buffalo so, city planning is a really big thing because we're going through re-vitalization. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, I’m a 1st year student in Toronto studying Urban and Regional Planning. This is very helpful
I studied Architecture for 2 years but I had much more fun doing the urban planning project. Now I changed and I'm going to start to study urban planning and I'm really looking forward to it!! Love this channel
This was really great. I loved the information. What is limiting me from finding a career I can see myself passionate about pursuing is that I cannot imagine a day in the life. You hit some of it when you explained private v. public jobs. Would you consider doing a video delving deeper into what the day to day is like in this field?
Honestly one reason whats keeping me from getting a master’s is student loans. Im going to graduate with a undergrad degree and im thankful ill get out with 0 debt
Thanks for demystifying what city planners do! As someone who used to love playing Cities I never gave it a second thought!
Thanks for your G7 videos -- I just bought one! And I wish I had seen your lighting video earlier. Great advice.
Alright, I'm going to go try this real quick. I'll report back in a few
any updates?
@@HandpickedHypixel I don't think he survived. Urban planning is dangerous!
Updates?
Update?
Any luck?
Thanks for this, wonderful to know that im pretty much on the right track to being an environmental planner!
I love your channel, Dave! It's so informative and entertaining. As a student looking to study city planning, I have a few questions: What are the best parts of being a planner, and what are the worst? What are the most essential skills to work on before entering the field?
Thanks for all of the wonderful videos!
Thanks Jack! My favorite part of being a planner is looking for solutions for real-world, often tangible solutions to urban problems. The worst part about being a planner is that many of those solutions are in plans we write, which can take a long time to get implemented, if ever. Patience is a virtue that I lack sometimes.
As for skills, planners need great oral and written communication skills. You have to communicate complex ideas to decision makers and the general public and it's a skill that takes practice. Most planners need some experience with GIS and a basic understanding of graphics software helps.
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply! I'll take that into account for my education and self-improvement.
Awesome info.
Wish I had money for college
its free for citizens and american education is crap. Even if you have 8's in America its actually a 4 in Germany.
Check out Europe, staying in the US for college isn't the only option out there. Europeans take free college tuition for granted.
Most Europeans can not get admitted in to a program worth more than an associate's degree under their "free" system.
where is it free? which country? am in the netherlands.
Not only is education free (ALL education, of any level and kind) we *get paid* to attend university here in Sweden.
I always love watching your videos. It inspires me even further to become a City Planner someday. Currently have a degree for Architecture and planning to take Urban and Regional Planning (it's Environmental Planning's counterpart here in the Philippines) and later take Transportation Planning. I'm learning a lot from your videos. Hope you continue to publish more vids in the future!
i’ve been thinking about becoming a city planner for a couple years now i’m a sophmore is highschool.
what i am worried about is my expectations are wayyyy to high. i want to design cities/towns. but you make it sound so much harder😂. i am also worried about the diversity. i am hispanic and i would not want to be the only hispanic💀.
I'm a 32 year old black man. People of color need to pursue careers like this. I'm currently looking up schools and programs for me to get this process started. You're a sophomore in high school. Start pursuing this career NOW. Don't let time fly by like I did.
@@cameronmccollough98 It's never too late to achieve your dreams🙏🏽
Please don't let a lack of diversity discourage you. :( I've been in plenty of offices as the only Black woman (UX Designer here though). That future office needs you and your perspective. You'll be able to uncover important details that require empathy. They should be thankful and your community will be too.
These days, there is no conceivable way anyone will discriminate against you for being any kind of non-White person. The consequences for them doing so would ruin them.
Thanks for this video. Now I'm looking forward to studying Urban and Regional Planning at uni next year
You mentioned you made the mistake of not doing internships during your undergrad career, which made it difficult to get into your first position. I'm curious, how did you overcome this lack of professional experience? Are there stepping stone jobs or post-graduation internships one should focus on if the opportunity for internships (which are generally limited to current full time students) is missed?
Can you make videos based around different career areas in planning such as economic development, land use planning, transportation, and a day in the life...Etc .. thx
That's a good idea!
Duo Comento
I studied urban planning here in Montreal, but realized it wasn't for me. Now, I'm studying my master's degree in mangement of sustainability, creativity and innovation in hopes of merging those new skills with my urban planning knowledge and have a positive impact on cities!
I came here to see if my degree mattered. I'm in my last year as a psychology student and I realized my passion for city planning, geography, and environmentalism far outweighed my desire to be a counselor. I just never considered this job before! But it is definitely something I want to pursue.
Great video, I'm about to finish my BA in history, and I'm gravitating towards this, maybe not as a city planner, but I'm really interested in incorporating it to my research, maybe policymaking or consultancy. Thanks!
Omar Adrián Nuño Íñiguez Look into encouraging 'Interrgenerational interactions'
Super excited! I'm studying to go into this field. I go to a big university, so we have a city planning degree. Most of the jobs I've looked at you do not need a master's degree, just a degree related to planning, but most of them want at least a couple years of experience unless it is a junior level or entry level position (which pay decently anyway).
Great video, city planning was always interesting to me, glad to hear how in another life I could become one.
Thanks for the channel! I am a second year student at the School of Urban and Regional Planning (The University of Iowa) and I look forward to working as a planner after graduation!
My only daughter holdin b > LINGFIELD PARK
How was your time in grad school at Iowa?
Great video! I am currently a junior in highschool, and I am very interested in becoming a city planner. I have arranged meetings with my local city planners to learn a bit more about the job, but do you think there are other things that I could do as a high schooler to try and become a better potential city planner?
Hey Kai! It's great that you are already making progress toward your goal of becoming a city planner! One thing you could do in high school is read a few of the standard planning books -- this was something I did at your age to get inspired. To get started, I'd recommend "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs. It's an absolute classic and fairly readable; Jacobs was a journalist, not a professional planner. I also really like "Crabgrass Frontier" by Kenneth Jackson. It's an excellent history of U.S. land use and transportation planning and is also a pretty easy read. Let me know if you have other questions!
Consider joining The School of Urban and Regional Planning (The University of Iowa). It's a great master program with a family atmosphere. I'm a second year student there and loving it!
Also get involved in your community. Volunteer, etc. Look for volunteer opportunities at your local neighborhood organization.
How are things going 3 years later?
So did you become a planner?
One of the kind of videos on youtube. Never seen this subject on videos yet.
Great work, keep going.
Useful info, thanks. I am going to get a urban planning degree.
sherry wang what projects have you worked on so far?
Can you please make a video that goes into a deeper look at step 3? I also messed up and didn't get any experience and I'm really struggling. maybe talk about what you did in particular after not getting those jobs? or other ways of getting experience outside of school/ after graduation.
Great video as always! Could you possibly say how good the job market is? Like if you get a degree from a decent university and are quite professional and intelligent, are you guaranteed a job more or less?
Also could you possibly take us through your daily life in the job one time? Thanks again.
I don't know if your still looking for an answer 1 year later but I'll give it to you anyway. The job market for urban planning is massive in growing cities but you're never "guaranteed" a job. You definitely don't have to worry about not finding work if you are a relatively competitive candidate in a fast growing city.
@@leightonpittman thanks appreciate the answer! As someone now studying a planning degree thats a bit of a relief to hear!
When I was about to graduate high school I seriously considered this career path, but in my country the only urban planning program was closely linked to design and architecture and had much less of an statistical/mathematical approach. There was going to be for example a lot of drafting (by hand/rapidograph) and cardboard model making, all which I hated so I decided to go for engineering. I'm not complaining about my career choice but these videos do make me wonder "what if"
I've just known this channel for 30 mins but I can say that I should've watched these videos before! Great content you are making, subscribed!
THIS, is what I want from a youtuber. Great Video
I love your videos! Great topics, helpful links, and very informative. Thank you!! 😋👍🏼
Dude your channel is great!!!
Great video with excellent advice! Urban and Environmental Planning can be a very rewarding career.
Great video! I wonder why it's only have a few viewers for this enlighting video. I'm Fardhan and i'm a final year undergradute student of urban & regional planning program in Indonesia. I have been thinking lately about how do i continue my journey to become a urban planner. Firstly about whether i get a job first or directly continue my studies. And if i choose to continue my studies then "where would i go?". I was hoping that i can ask you about the options of the variety of urban planning program and how to choose it. Thank You
All the books you recommend and content you put out, I think you would really enjoy the tongue in cheek lyrics to Rodriguez’ song “Heikki Suburbia Bus Tour” and a lot of his others including “Inner City Blues” and “Can’t Get Away”. He’s a working man who grew up and lived his whole life in Detroit, I don’t think he has any history in City Planning. But the observations he makes in his songs tie very closely together with the themes you cover in your videos. I think you’d find his songwriting interesting, and I personally would find it very interesting for you to do a video of how City Planning and other themes you cover have been portrayed by a lot of our favorite songs and music over the years!
Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of your work. Despite the direction I’ve gone with my background in music, songwriting, illustration and truck driving, I enjoyed wasting months of my childhood becoming a SimCity master and even considered city planning for my future career. Your videos (as well as those of your educational TH-cam affiliates) are absolutely addictive, my daily dose of nerd porn as I like to call it hahaha. Very high quality and informative. And they highly influence my songwriting. You and Wendover Productions will easily deserve credit by the time I put out my first three albums. Just thought I’d let you know you’ve had some influence, artistic influence even, not sure if you’d have expected that! TL;DR Good stuff, Keep it coming
Realizing now after watching all the city beautiful videos (after notJustBikes, playing sim city/city skylines, and imagining what green cities could look like) that I am in the perfect position to become a city planner as I work on my environmental science degree. I still want organizing for food systems to be my main thing though, at least at the moment. Maybe I could do both? City planning on the side? Either way thanks for making these videos! They're educating and inspiring.
My Personal Experience
1. Play Sim City and Sims for most of my life
2. Realized I loved maps and demographics
3. Majored in Geoscience with a concentration in Meteorology and GIS
4. Realized the math for meteorology was too hard
5. Focused on GIS
6. Intern as GIS tech for planning office
7. Went to Grad school for City and Regional Planning
8. Various internships
9. Currently a project planner for a government in West TN
I’m currently a Junior majoring in Geography. I chose Geography as a major because I have been interested in maps since I was little and also because I wanted to avoid going into a social science where the only viable job option is to become a professor. This is because I have a learning disability, and as a result I don’t think I could handle the constant stress associated with working in academia. I need periodic breaks to maintain my mental well-being. Also, because of my disability, I have problems doing certain types of computer related work, including GIS. I since decided that I do not want a job in Geography because I have discovered that it is too reliant on GIS and STEM fields. After taking an Urban Planning class I decided Urban Planning could be good alternative since it seems more social science related. However, after watching this, I’m worried that like Geography, it depends too much on STEM and GIS. After watching this, I’m also a little worried that like in academia, as a planner I would be under constant stress that I could not handle and would not get the periodic breaks I need. What do you think, based on my situation? Is Planning the right for me? Also, what specialties should I opt for or avoid based on my situation?
Hi Anthony! It's hard to know if planning is right for you without knowing the exact nature of your learning disability. That said, there are many different kinds of planning and I'm guessing that there is something for you. You could look into "current planning," where planning technicians work to apply zoning and building codes for new development. These planners work for city governments and review development applications to ensure they meet the city's requirements. If you like working with people, you may be interested in working for a firm that specializes in community outreach. In this role you would be assisting or managing the public outreach associated with planning projects. This would mean planning and conducting community workshops, reaching out to key stakeholders, and drafting press releases. There's a whole field of planning law, particularly environmental law. I would encourage you to look at these sub-fields and others to find something that could work for you. Good luck!
Hey City Beautiful, I'm doing History,Geography and IT as main studies in the UK. Is that enough for city planning because I'm fascinated about the career. Reasons:
Geography- main degree
IT- design and CAD for city planning
History- Can help learn and preserve historical sites, especially for tourism purposes and planning in general!
I'm only in High school but still find city planning fascinating
Good luck! Sounds like you are off to a great start.
You're a very positive person :) Nice Video
Great video. Very interesting.
One quibble. At 1:16 you used an image from the groundbreaking of the Honolulu Rapid Transit. I think the jury is definitely out on whether this is making a "positive contribution".
Exactly what I was looking for. Good video
Hi Dave, This video was really great and exciting for me. A lot of the questions you answered were questions I had been asking myself for a long time. This was especially significant when you speak about getting a master if you have a BS that isn't directly connected to urban planning. I expect to graduate in May of 2019 with a BS in psychology and a certificate from the Purdue School of Engineering in sustainable technologies. My long-term goal is to become an urban planner and tie sustainable principles and technology to it but I am worried about whether I could get a job in city planning with that degree and certification. Would you say it'd be almost necessay for me to obtain my masters if I want to be a serious urban planner?
I'm urban planner from Sudan & I can't find job around here 😥
Try move to south Africa, they are a developing country and need motivated people to improve the country.
Hi there thank you for the video, i'm actually a bachelor student of Regional and Urban Planning, with a focused stream of transportation planning. I study in my home country, Indonesia. I hope we can discuss more about planning because it will be so much different between developed country like the US and developing country like mine. In here, especially in the transportation sector we are challenged by transportation mafia! Yes, because of that we lack on transportation network and infrastructure
nice seeing the tampa city council at the beginning of the video
between 2005 and 2013 many planners who finished school could find a job (U.S and Canada) as there was over saturation and the older people are not retiring. Same with most positions dealing with government
Become a plumber instead.
Most of it now is social planning and renewal, neighborhood and highrise renewal. A new field linked to civil engineering is Public asset renewal, fix the crumbling highways and overpasses that are falling apart...especially in the north due to the weather.
You added the city of Holland, MI to your b-roll!
The next question is why anyone would want to become a city planner. Planners are continually trying to satisfy elected officials while negotiating a minefield between developers and concerned citizens. I have a friend who is a planner who has spoken to me about the frustrations of dealing with the county board of supervisors, the priorities of which change with each election. I myself have been in the position multiple times of being in heated arguments with planners during presentations on proposed developments. While the work seems interesting, continually having to deal with politicians, developers, and concerned citizens must suck.
This was helpful, thanks!
Word of advice: Get an internship before you graduate from University!!! I got the undergraduate degree in Environmental planning, but I didn't do an internship before I graduated, which makes it much more difficult after you graduate
If I may ask, what are you currently doing with your undergrad degree? I also failed to get an internship before graduating and feel like my only option is to go back to school and apply for internships if I ever want a career in my field.
very good information for my dwarf fortress
Brilliant! Currently an undergrad in architecture and I am looking forward in becoming a city planner someday! May I ask what is your specialty?
Hey Julian -- I used to be a land use planner! Now that I'm back in school, my specialty is urban design. I have a degree in architecture as well! Hope you're getting at least a little sleep.
City Beautiful yes, I am getting all the sleep I can get this break! 😂😂
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. However, I think you can do better in the speaking tone. So that it can appear not rushing and rather a bit plain, probably you want to look at the Crash Course, they have speakers with fast pace but interactive and engaging. So, more comfortable and interested to be listened moreover when you have long speech in the video.
thanks for the video i hope i will be a city planner
The first week in planning school hit me like a ton of bricks when I figured out that Robert Moses, and Daniel Burnham were seen as examples of what not to do. Wish I watched this video first
Hi 👋 I was invited to take the planner test. Do you have any links, advise or direction on how to prep for the test??? Thanks
Hi! Thank you for making this great video. I enjoyed it a lot! Do you have any advice or suggestion for people like me, who don't have a degree or any experience in urban design or related subject in college, to make a way into in this field? I am thinking about the step 5 as you mentioned in the video, to go to a graduate school, but don't know where to start, such as what to study or what to prepare for the admission test. It will be really helpful to hear from a profession in the city planning industry. Thank you very much!!!
Other than internships, is there such as thing as entry-level city planning work? I'm in my 30's and work full-time. I would love to get on low-level staff at a planning department, and then hopefully work my way up. My BA is in Political Science. I might be willing to get an MA in Urban Planning, but only if I felt like there was a high chance of the degree paying off. If I could get some sort of paid planning experience while I get my MA in Urban Planning on the side, that would be ideal.
I feel this. Working in accounting and considering a change. My local town also has a planning committee, so I've applied to that to see if I can get in, and what can be done from there.
This is good video!!!
I am also interested in cities, transportation, housing and geography also politics and also want to be a politician and even reach being Philippine President
Airplane Plus Train Guy
wut? you seriously want to be the president of the philippines?
kaya mo bang banggain ang mga elites and oligarchs na nagpapatakbo ng pinas?
maski si duterte nga hindi kaya banggain ang mga yan eh....
Lugi ka sir, malakas dating ng mayayaman at kilalang tao, mahihirapan ka mag hikayat ng mga botante unless tumatakbo ka na sa isang probinsya at kilala na sa mga kalapit na lugar baka dyan kaya pa, pero malabo pag presidente ಥ‿ಥ
I have a bachelor's degree in sociology in South Africa. I'm also interested in city planning. How do you consider specialities, do you do short courses?
Hello! Thanks for making this video! Its given me a lot of good advice to think about! I want to study urban planning a year from now, but there is one worry I have...
You mentioned that politics is involved, however I on principle do not want to get involved in politics or publicly "choose a side". Will this make it hard for me to get a job, or does it just mean your projects might change depending on the administration?
As a planner you do not have to choose a side. Most career planners in the public sector work through multiple administrations without a problem. It just means that priorities might change, that's all.
Did u get the chance to plan a city or work with someone who does?
Awesome video. I’m wondering how you started in the field without the internship experience employers look for. I graduated with a degree in Geography and Urban Studies but my interests led me into Building Engineering. As a graduate without an city planning internship, how would I get into that field?
After working outside the field, I went back to graduate school for planning and got internships then. That's one way to do it! Otherwise, are you financially able to do an internship now? With your degree, though, you might be able to get an entry level job?
I am currently an undergradute civil engineering student. I was wondering if this degree program would be good enough for becoming an urban planner?
I’ve played lots of sim city. Does that help?
So instead of creating a WHOLE city you just change small parts of a city?
Appreciate this thanks! Could you make a similar video with an international focus? I.e. accreditation if from another country or studying abroad?
I love your videos! I just graduated with a BS is Urban Studies & Planning but I had to work full time and couldn't get an internship. I graduated with high honors, but I was wondering if you had advice for me in regard to finding a job, especially in this current economy? Is there any way to get one in the field without having an internship? Thank you!!
Currently a junior in high school and i don’t know what I want to do but this really interests me but I would like to know so much more from it lol:(
Is civil engineering a possible undergraduate pathway to a planning degree?
Is a bachelor's degree in civil engineering of any use as a city planner?
OMG SIM city in real life!
hello! i know that i am commenting on quite an old video, but i do have a question. i am currently a junior in high school who is interested in both architecture and urban design. i do see myself gravitating more towards urban design in my future. for college, though, would it be a good plan to study architecture for undergrad (and minor in urban design if possible) and then urban design in grad school? also, just for clarification, i want to focus more on “fixing” areas (ex infill development)- is urban design the right fit for me?
Thought some of these clips seemed familiar, I've taken Sociology classes at UC Berkeley in that same classroom in 1:58 haha.
Well, i live in Mexico City , right now i study Public Administration and , in a couple of year i´ll study Urban Planning....
Hello! Question to anyone out there- I am currently a graphic designer and Ive been feeling turned off and disgusted by the marketing world in our current day. Ive been thinking of a career change but nervous because that's a big step, but urban planning keeps getting me excited and really genuinely interests me. It feels almost impossible to change careers 3 years in (still young, I know) is it possible to get into urban planning (specifically things like transportation, community dev) without either going back to get another bachelors or having an internship? Its hard to think about supporting my adult life on internship pay (if any). I have a bachelors of fine arts for graphic design- if I was to go back and get an associates, what would be some areas/classes to focus on that would get me in the door? Thank you for any and all information!!
How crucial is understanding GIS? I'm an undergrad interested in planning and I'm wondering if I should add the GIS minor. I don't actually rly like GIS but I'll do it if I need to
I already have a bachelor's degree (unemployable) and am trying to break into an interesting career. City planning has always been a pretty big interest of mine, but it seems I can't get an entry level job in my region without a master's in planning OR a bachelor's in planning + 1 year of experience.
If you have just graduated with a bachelor's in planning, how are you supposed to get a job?? The local master's program here requires work experience to get in lmao.
I dropped out of school for architecture. How does 20 years of military service look on a job application?
if I get my bachelor's in Urban Studies and Planning can I get a job? Or do I need a Masters's? This is a question that no one has been able to give me an exact answer to.
Hey I start College in a couple months. I will be majoring in Sustainable Community Development, Minoring in GIS, and planning on getting a Masters after. Is this a good path?
If you graduate from a program that has the required planning courses but the degree's name doesn't say planning is that sufficient?
I love your videos and find urban planning to be very interesting, but I don't think I could ever deal with all the various resident groups (with competing interests, and NIMBY attitudes), or the changing plans from politicians.
If I get a planning degree in the US, is it possible to get a planning job in the UK for example? Or are the planning systems too different to transfer those skills?
Is an undergraduate in civil engineering helpful with city planning?
City Beautiful, great video! I recently graduated from undergrad this past May, I was wondering how can you do this type of work without a higher up graduate degree? I am in the process of applying to grad school in planning eventually, but is their any way to obtain a professional planning position (either Public, Consulting/For-Profit or Non-Profit sectors) without going to a PAB-accredited planning program?
I can only speak from my personal experience, but I worked for a consulting firm that hired undergraduates. Many started with the title "Research Assistant" before moving into "Planner," but they still received excellent experience in the planning field. I'd recommend looking at the bios of people working in planning firms and local agencies in your area. I bet you'll find some that have hired people right out of college. I'd also recommend networking with young planners in your area. Where I live, there is a young planners organization through the local APA chapter. Those folks might be able to point you to the firms and agencies that would be most willing to hire you. Good luck!
Would civil engineering be a good undergrad major for someone interested in urban/transportation planning?
There's definitely some overlap. Are you thinking about going to grad school for planning or trying to get a job in planning? If you're thinking about graduate school, it's a great undergrad major. People get planning masters degrees coming in with all kinds of majors, but civil engineering has that overlap. If you're looking to get a job, it might be harder. Employers expect great writers, solid communicators, and at least a basic understanding of common planning concepts, all of which aren't emphasized the same way in an engineering program. This is just my perspective though! Good luck!
Hi , I'm from India currently an undergraduate student in geography . I'm really looking forward to be an urban town planner or GIS analyst . Can u help me with how should I proceed in life towards my goal ?
Could you do a video on the specialties
So my 126,000 population city in five tiles of Cities: Skylines isn’t good enough?
Are there any certification programs I could apply for instead of going through school?
I want to go into trail planning, have a masters in urban planning, but have been told that folks want landscape architecture degrees. What skills specifically are they looking for from M.Arch that planners don't typically have? I have also interned for environmental, land-use, and transportation public agencies already.
Folks with landscape architecture or architecture degrees are expected to have a solid knowledge of design tools, which may include Adobe Creative Suite, CAD software, 3D modeling software. Additionally they may have good hand drawing skills. People with those degrees also have spent time honing their design process, which is a different way of thinking about and solving problems. So often they have a different perspective than planners.
You are very wrong that city planning need degree. Like there are many abandoned towns in US and Australia. Once you buy it, you can build it as you see fit. Or if you are super rich, you can try to build those gated communities on large scale
How’d you end up getting a job with no internships? I’m about to graduate with an engineering degree and I have the same problem
I ended up getting a job at a nonprofit that was not in the field of planning. After a few years I went back to graduate school and did an internship then.