Environmental Planners

The Career Center section of the American Planning Association's (APA) Web site offers useful information for students interested in pursuing a career in planning. To learn more about what planning is, find listings of schools that offer degree programs in planning, and to see available scholarships in this area, visit https://www.planning.org/careercenter. You can also find book recommendations, upcoming conferences and events, and see if your neighborhood is included in the APA's annual list of "Great Places in America" (which also includes great streets and great public places that planners helped create), by visiting http://www.planning.org/greatplaces.

Another great way to learn more about this career is to participate in an information interview with an environmental planner. Ask a counselor or teacher to arrange an interview. Here are some suggested questions: What made you want to become an environmental planner? What do you like most and least about your job? How did you train for this career? What advice would you give to someone who is interested in the career?

Environmental planners are concerned with a variety of issues, ranging from environmental and scientific, to economic, political, and ethical. Read newspapers, magazines, trade publications, and books to keep up with current events and industry trends.