Hi all!
I hold a BSc (hons) in Environmental Science and I'm currently undertaking a MSc in Environmental Change, Impact, and Adaptation. I've been interested in town and urban planning for a good decade now and I'm thinking of going into this industry when I graduate. From an industry perspective, is there scope for me getting into town planning from an environmental/ecology/carbon emissions perspective?
#Environmental Science and Planning
rapid vortex
peak cypress
@rapid vortex Yes! I’m a good example of this and there are also a few others too with similar experiences. My background is in environmental science/policy and public admin. In modern time, more cities are having more and more interest in expanding green/wild spaces, climate change, and preserving environmental integrity. As such our skill sets become more and more focal to these discussions!
It really depends on your specific interests and ability to get your foot in the door.
rapid vortex
<@285508666382221313> Yes! I’m a good example of this and there are also a few o...
Ah thank you!!! I've always assumed that local authorities desire people with our skillsets and its nice to meet someone who was in my position 😂. I am curious as to what its like in the industry? What do you have to do? I'm hoping to get my foot in the door by contacting my local council (UK) and seeing if there's something that I can graduate into
peak cypress
I sit on the other side of things from the public sector. I work for a large energy utility so it is my job to apply local environmental laws to our projects. However, I work closely with all our municipalities, county, and state officials to get projects done right. Think of it like two sides of the same coin.
My colleagues on the public side do all the things it sounds like you’re curious about. But my regular engagement with them does provide that unique look into their world
sacred tendon
Hi, I'm also an environmental planner/engineer. My thought is that if you want to specialize and work on environmental focused projects only, finding a gig with a private company may allow you to exclusively work on environmental components of projects. Whereas a job at a community would likely see you in lots of areas (which may be attractive to you). Whether it's GHG emissions scoping, ESG reporting, environmental permitting, or sustainable community planning there are a lot of different areas to focus on.
I work for a private consulting firm where we help our clients accomplish their projects, specifically, I help them navigate the local environmental laws and help get approvals to build while also analyzing the environmental impacts of those projects.
peak cypress
I also get the fun of working with cool electric projects on the forefront of the industry. So a wonderful blend of many topics!
sacred tendon
I also get the fun of working with cool electric projects on the forefront of th...
Are you seeing any utility scale BESS projects, or implementing them?
(a small tangent from the main topic of conversation)
peak cypress
Are you seeing any utility scale BESS projects, or implementing them?
Oh yes, many are in the works right now. I have a BESS and micro grid system I’m personally helping to permit at the moment. We had a huge system come online in our neighbor utility we are learning from and have at least 2-3 other projects in the works right now I’m aware of. Meaning in permitting or close to it
rapid vortex
(a small tangent from the main topic of conversation)
No that's fine 😁😁
It's amazing to see where I can be in a few years, I do have a whole bunch of interdisciplinary interests from sociology to cultural history, I want to keep my options open whether it's private or public consulting but I think this is a career that I would really like to go down, even in terms of CS and CS2 it's exciting to see where I can put my skills to use
Thanks guys!
peak cypress
Oh absolutely. When I was building out my classes and skillsets in college, I tried to have a wide breadth of experience and understanding. It has been so useful in my day to day! In the planning world there is so many hidden possibilities that any niche topic can apply at some point.
rapid vortex
Were you able to go straight into your career/industry or did you find that you had to gain experience from placements?
peak cypress
I was able to get right into after school and start at the bottom of the ladder as an associate.
inner maple
If I may be so bold as to advise a few things (from someone who studies similar things but more from a government/policy perspective):
- know something about the local council and it's agenda/size of parties, etc. (a labour council will be different than a conservative one, and even then they may have local positions that may not align with national policy)
- if possible get some political/policy experience (doesn't have to be with a political party but being able to refer to experience may help)
- Given you also like sociology and cultural history I think you may benefit from looking at something more traditional (perhaps even slightly more towards policy), something on a higher level of government or perhaps a private agency that's broader than just your main field
- Knowledge of related fields is always a plus because it makes projects and communication easier
Some of them may be more obvious, but I feel like they're still worth mentioning