Research the origins of your city by visiting your county courthouse and local library. Check out early photographs and maps of your area to give you an idea of what went into the planning of your community. Visit local historic areas to learn about the development and history behind old buildings. You may also consider getting involved in efforts to preserve local buildings and areas that are threatened.
With the help of a teacher or academic adviser, arrange to interview a planner to learn about his or her job. Another good way to see what planners do is to attend a meeting of a local planning commission, which by law is open to the public. Interested students can find out details about upcoming meetings through their local paper or planning office.
- Ambassadors
- Architects
- Assessors and Appraisers
- Aviation Safety Inspectors
- Bailiffs
- Bank Examiners
- Border Patrol Agents
- Building Performance Diagnosticians
- Campaign Workers
- City Managers
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Civil Engineers
- Computer-Aided Design Drafters and Technicians
- Congressional Aides
- Construction Inspectors
- Construction Managers
- Credit Analysts
- Cryptographic Technicians
- Customs Officials
- Demographers
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Drafters
- Economists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Engineers
- Environmental Engineers
- Environmental Lobbyists
- Environmental Planners
- EPA Special Agents
- Ergonomists
- FBI Agents
- Federal and State Officials
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Furniture Designers
- Futurists
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Green Builders
- Grounds Managers
- Health and Regulatory Inspectors
- Home Stagers
- Household Movers
- Industrial Designers
- Insurance Policy Processing Workers
- Insurance Underwriters
- Intelligence Officers
- Interior Designers and Decorators
- Interpreters
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Landscape Architects
- Landscapers
- Loan Officers and Counselors
- Lobbyists
- Military Recruiters
- Military Workers, Enlisted
- National Park Service Employees
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Park Rangers
- Policy Analysts
- Political Columnists and Writers
- Political Consultants
- Political Reporters
- Political Scientists
- Political Speechwriters
- Press Secretaries
- Property and Real Estate Managers
- Public Opinion Researchers
- Real Estate Agents and Brokers
- Real Estate Clerks
- Real Estate Developers
- Real Estate Educators
- Real Estate Lawyers
- Real Estate Writers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Regional and Local Officials
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Statisticians
- Surveyors
- Swimming Pool Designers
- Title Searchers and Examiners
- Traffic Engineers
- Translators
- Transportation Planners