Here's how you can navigate a career change into Urban Planning.

Begin with a bachelor's degree in urban planning, geography, or a related field, and consider advancing with a master's degree in urban or regional planning for specialized knowledge. Gain practical experience through internships, entry-level positions, and volunteer opportunities in planning agencies, government departments, or private firms. Develop skills in GIS (Geographic Information Systems), data analysis, and project management. Networking with professionals through industry associations like the American Planning Association (APA) and attending relevant conferences can provide valuable insights and opportunities. Stay updated with industry trends and policies, and consider obtaining professional certification.

When I was in my early 20s, I was pursuing a potential career as a lawyer and was working in large litigation law firms. I realised as I worked that urban planning was something more creative I wanted to try, having some experience as an urban studies major in undergraduate. It's good to talk with people who have gone into urban planning in their education and their working experience to gain perspective. I wouldn't recommend going into studying zoning laws and regulations as a start, but read books about the reasons why any of us pursue urban planning - how does design in the built environment impact/influence communities, local economies, local culture, and history. Eg. Jane Jacobs, Edmund Bacon, William Whyte. Look up their books.

I stumbled upon urban planning when I was a computer science engineering undergraduate and signed up for an elective course about urban theory and history in the urban studies department. I think both disciplines involve systems thinking and the interest to understand and build interdependent components that creates paths and networks that support the overall health of the system. The appeal for me came from reading Jane Jacobs Death and Life of American Cities, because Jacobs studied and gave support to how did American inner cities degrade over the years in the 20th century despite economic progress nationwide. I would suggest read wide and deeply and connect with practitioners and offer to help like an apprenticeship to learn.

Be creative because over time I realised there is no singular path to improve in the field of urban planning and urban design. The more diverse set of skills and the love for the subject will only upgrade the industry and the people involved in it. I was fortunate to be in the first test course of GIS back in 2002 at my university when GIS was just starting as a useful tool in urban planning. Now GIS is a given skill that every new graduate needs to know how to use. What will come next can be urban planners who know how to use AI tools and even fintech solutions to study the behaviour of people in the built environment. Because in the end, urban planning is about building cities, districts, neighbourhoods for people who live in them.