Town planning assistant

You can do a degree accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute before applying for a job as an assistant.

Subjects include:

• planning, environment and development
• city and regional planning
• urban planning and property development

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

You can take a college course to learn some of the skills needed for the job, which may help when applying for a trainee position.

Courses include:

• construction and the built environment
• civil engineering for technicians
• T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to T Levels|https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
• funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
• search for courses|/find-a-course

You can apply for a place on a Town Planning Assistant Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

This typically takes around 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and off-site study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

You can apply directly for a trainee position. You'll need a minimum of GCSEs in maths, English and ICT, along with A levels or equivalent in subjects like:

• geography
• environmental studies
• business studies
• economics

You may have an advantage if you have experience in:

• administration
• computer-aided design (CAD)
• construction
• surveying

Some employers may ask for a degree qualification.

Professional and Industry Bodies

You could join the Royal Town Planning Institute for networking, events and professional development training opportunities.

Further Information

You can find out more about careers in town planning from the Royal Town Planning Institute.

As a town planning assistant, you could:

• research information on land and property registers
• gather data, take photos and check maps on site visits
• prepare reports on potential development sites
• manage technical libraries, filing systems and databases
• draw up plans using computer-aided design software
• carry out surveys, like traffic impact assessments
• advise on planning and environmental regulations
• organise public consultations and answer enquiries about application procedures

We've identified this as a potential green job

For a town planning assistant to be a green job, you could:

• research and present reports on the environmental impact of plans
• aim to reduce congestion and promote cleaner ways to travel
• put sustainability at the heart of projects

Find out more about green careers

You could work in an office or visit sites.