Employing graduates: Smart Planning

Graduates: investing in the future

With 2013 shaping up to be another difficult year for job seekers, can your employer do more to support graduates? We talk to Linda Jackson from Smart Planning about their graduate recruitment programme.

Smart Planning is an Essex-based planning consultancy and an RTPI Learning Partner. “We believe strongly in career development, staff retention and life long learning” explains Linda. “Investing in graduates ensures successful long term growth for the business.”

Finding graduates

“We are always on the look out for what we regard as the highest calibre candidates” explained Linda. “All speculative CV’s sent in are reviewed, but we also invite CV’s from candidates we come into contact with through recommendation, business activities and networks”.

Last year Smart Planning recruited MSc student Lauren Hawksworth. “She appeared on the LinkedIn Website asking for work experience” said Linda. “Her CV was well rounded educationally. She had a first degree in Geography, and we were impressed that she was both capable and self-motivated to pursue an MSc in Town Planning at Anglia Ruskin University. We were also impressed with other areas of her CV, which include aspects of military officer training, Duke of Edinburgh awards and experience of local community group leadership”.

Lauren was offered paid work experience initially during her MSc studies. Like many graduates Lauren struggled to find work that would fit around her studies, but Smart Planning gave her the opportunity. “I was immediately made to feel part of the team” explained Lauren. “I initially worked for 3 days a week alongside my University studies, and was given flexibility to attend dissertation meetings and reduce my hours in order to meet academic deadlines.

Induction and training

Lauren’s induction at Smart Planning introduced her to all aspects of the business processes. Lauren was first placed in the team providing technical planning support to the consultant team, with mentoring provided where required. She then progressed to consultancy work through the shadowing of consultants at a level appropriate to her own capabilities.

As Lauren’s knowledge and skills developed, the opportunities broadened, ensuring a wide breadth of work of increasing complexity. “My work experience at Smart Planning has proved invaluable to both my academic studies and future career as a planning professional” said Lauren. “They have developed my abilities and knowledge in all aspects of planning”. I have been involved in applications, appeals and public inquiries, which have developed my skills and knowledge of planning, while simultaneously aiding my understanding of the links between planning practice and academia.

Growth and success

To ensure high standards Smart Planning employ effective quality assurance processes throughout the business. “Overall quality assurance is managed through fortnightly staff training and four weekly ‘jobs’ meetings” explained Linda. “This provides opportunities to address strategic matters relating to quality and direction of work, and Lauren was fully immersed in this process.”

After completing her MSc Lauren was then employed as a full time planning consultant.  “Over time my role developed and I began working alongside the Principal Director Russell Forde in a consultancy capacity” said Lauren. This provided her with a unique insight into the strategic direction of the company, access to key clients, and involvement in the most complex of planning consultancy issues.  This assignment is scheduled to last for one year, when Lauren will then move to the consultant team.

Lauren is the fourth student to have joined Smart Planning in six years. The consultancy’s student introduction programme is regarded as a key component to the ongoing growth and long term success of the company.  In addition to her increasing responsibilities, Lauren will also be involved in a selection process to identify a suitable candidate to replace her. “Lauren’s experiences place her in a unique position to be able to identify and advise potential candidates on what to expect and to advise Smart Planning on how to improve the process and quality of any student intake” said Linda.

Challenging times for graduates

It is a difficult time to be entering the job market, particularly for graduates, who lack the work experience now required by almost all employers. “I believe that the majority of students and newly qualified planners find their lack of work experience a disadvantage in the job market” said Lauren. ”They may have the desired qualifications, but not the amount of work experience required, even for entry level positions. “I am extremely grateful to Smart Planning for providing both guidance and experience, deepening my understanding of the planning process. After completing my Masters course, the benefits of combining my studies with relevant work experience became clear. I was working with national and local policies and the planning system in the work environment, this not only gave me a fresh perspective on academic assignments but also I believe my greater understanding of these policies enriched my work at University and Smart Planning alike.”

“I hope that experiences such as this are repeated in other businesses to enable young planners to enter the profession and simply be given the opportunity to prove they have the skills required to be the exceptional planners of the future.”

We agree. The RTPI is calling on larger employers, smaller practices and planning consultants to offer graduates work experience. For further information please read our article 'we risk a future shortage of planners' and 'employing graduates: GP Planning'. Alternatively contact chris.sheridan@rtpi.org.uk.

Smart Planning team 2013