Employers find education benefits

Planning, 22 August 2008

As part of a large multidisciplinary organisation, Halcrow Group's planning team works hard to establish an identity for planning in the wider built environment field. Halcrow employs 43 chartered planners and a number of students and graduates working towards chartered membership. Learning partner status is a symbol of the group's strong planning presence and its commitment to professional and career development for its planning team.

When a planner joins the team, support begins from day one with a thorough induction to the organisation. For existing employees, there are multiple opportunities throughout the year to discuss professional and career progress with a senior colleague from Halcrow, both through the structured performance review and also the professional development plan processes.

With support provided for training and professional development activities internally, externally and linked to the RTPI, there is plenty of opportunity for planners to find ways to meet their professional development needs.

Group regional director for planning and design in Scotland and Ireland Stefano Smith views this commitment as essential to the development planning profession and Halcrow's market activities. "It is only by investing in professional development from the outset that we can develop the talents of our planning team," he maintains.

White Young Green (WYG)'s planning and design team is in complete agreement. Recognising that the competence and professionalism of its employees is central to its ability to provide a high level of service to its clients, WYG values professional qualifications. It pays membership subscriptions for its staff and is currently supporting 11 licentiates to chartered membership on the RTPI assessment of professional competence (APC) scheme.

On joining the company, graduates are assigned a mentor to help them with internal professional development requirements and the APC. Licentiates are allowed time during office hours to work on their APC log books and receive financial support through the payment of assessment fees.

An APC assessor from WYG will talk to licentiates about the importance of the process, go through the basic steps, answer questions and encourage discussion. Employing an assessor ensures that the company can give the best support and is up to speed with APC needs.

David Lowin, director of WYG's planning office in Bristol and an APC mentor, says: "We are extremely proud to have gained learning partner status with the RTPI. It's a wonderful way to reinforce our commitment to our employees and encourage them to achieve the highest standards in their careers."

- Jacqui Ward is RTPI education projects officer. For more information about learning partner status visit www.rtpi.org.uk/education_and_careers/learning_partnerships.