Dr Samer Bagaeen, Principal Lecturer at the 91¶¶Òõ’s School of Environment and Technology, said: “While many planning schools make use of such services in relation to generic elements such as CV writing and interview skills, some go further to satisfy discipline-specific needs.
“The involvement of university careers services can assist planning schools to enhance employability.”
Dr Bagaeen, currently on secondment with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics team at the Higher Education Academy, was speaking following the publication of his report Sharing Good Practice in Planning Education, which received funding from Academy. The , and the Conference of Heads of UK Planning Schools
The report is based on documentary evidence and a survey of the opinion of UK planning schools conducted in spring 2014.
It highlights a “persistent lack of alignment” of the aims of planning schools and employers, and suggests “further systematic garnering and understanding” of what the practice community sees as necessary components skills and knowledge of initial planning education as well as lifelong learning and continuing professional development.
An increasing practice for planning schools in this context, he said, is the application of ‘external mentoring’, with students allocated a practitioner mentor who can provide advice on issues such as career direction and opportunities.
The report finds that such arrangements can vary in formality. Dr Bagaeen said: “They may be time-limited with continuation on a voluntary basis, possibly extending later to mentoring in relation to requirements for membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute or Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.“
Such work has led to international placements with global consultancies, as well as strategic links with private sector consultancies, and it is much appreciated by students; indeed, relevant National Student Survey scores for ‘personal development’ rose from 82 per cent to93 per cent in one school after the appointment of the employability officer. “