The things I know

Planning, 29 August 2008

- Where did you study planning?

The University of Manchester.

- What skills did you have when you graduated?

The ability to manage my time and work to deadlines, the skills to analyse data and information and the realisation that there was still a lot I would have to learn in practice.

- What attracted you to planning?

I have always been interested in the relationship between people and places, from building towns with Playmobil as a child to computer games such as SimCity as a teenager.

- What did you learn in your first job?

There is more to life than work.

- What skills have you had to learn over your career?

I went on a management course courtesy of my previous employer and am now trying to put those skills into practice, learning how to work with other people and providing support where necessary.

- What or who have been the biggest influences on your career?

I have worked alongside some particularly interesting and creative people who have all helped inspire me, particularly in trying to think a bit differently every now and again.

- What is your career highlight?

Being elected as the young planners' representative on the RTPI executive board and being nominated for the Young Planner of the Year award.

- What have you learnt outside work that has influenced you?

Non-planners don't understand a lot of our jargon but they share many of the same concerns.

- What further skills do you aim to obtain or develop?

For the moment, I am still trying to keep up to speed with planning policies and improving my management capabilities.

- How important is it to keep abreast of developments in allied professions?

When it comes down to it you cannot avoid keeping up to date with other professions, whether it is issues surrounding climate change or the state of the market. You have to know in order to keep doing the job.