Real World Experience for Urban and Regional Planning Students

Hello guys,

I just want to use this opportunity to advice some of us that intend to make real money after graduation, especially the guys that are really good in designs. This is all based on what I have experienced in the real world. I understand that this doesn't necessarily have to be the case with every URP graduate. Will try not to make this long.

I am a graduate of Urban and Regional planning since 2010. I love the profession. I was practicing town planning from 2012-2017 in the private sector. I had to opportunity to meet a lot of people and was involved numerous projects. Some of these projects are review of Abuja master Plan, Nassarawa, Jos, Kano, kubwa. Single handedly designed numerous layouts. I'm taking about sizes of 1200Hectares and above. Including 4 universities master plans. Even had the pleasure of meeting and presenting designs to the likes of Mrs Alakija and various directors both Nigerian and Foreigners.

So I think when it comes to the profession I have done my part. And trust me I didn't make so much money as you think from these projects. Hence this write up.

Here is the thing. You cannot enter the Public sector without legs, you need to know someone there. And even when you enter, the system will drag you back and kill whatever enthusiasm you have about the profession. Especially if you are like me that always like to improve and make better innovations and designs. You will need to just conform to the system and climb up the ladder gradually.

In the private sector you still have the chance to showcase yourself but you will only get paid what is due to you if the client appreciates the profession. Most of them will just see you as drafts man.

Cudus to the big fellows in NITP and TOPREC who are trying to make people appreciate the profession, I know it is hard because of the Nigerian Politics. But please let's not forget to go and review the planning law. Most of those laws are outdated, it can no longer work. Hopefully I will be talking about this later.

Here are my advice. Try to focus more on technology driven solutions. Learning GIS in and out is a good way to start. There are other technologies taking over GIS already. Planners outside are doing 3D design stimulations (don't dwell on this too much, Nigerian client won't pay). IT is taking over, if URP cannot look for a way to key into this, I'm sorry it will fade out. If you want to function in the private sector knowing AutoCAD 2D and 3D is not enough. I will be posting some of this new innovations later today. 

As we all know, URP is a very broad course. There is the housing, transportation, research, planning laws, planning studio/design etc. sometimes i feel it is because the profession is so broad is why we dont get URP jobs. You can imagine a whole commissioner telling me I cant do an environmental sustainability job, that what he is looking for are environmental scientists.. i just weak. 

Fact is technological innovations are already taking over our scares jobs and if we 

dont key in now, we will fade off. 

I want to focus on those of us who enjoy planning studio, basically i think that even covers 

a lot of things, e.g. housing, transportation, research. facility planning etc. GIS is a tool you should know and know it very well, at least for a start.  As for me, i dont work with GIS. I am more of a Data person now. (I help people gather data, compile, analyse and make visualizations in form of graphs and chats (advanced)) and that has being paying more than all my past design jobs. 

New innovations now either focus on technologies (software) or Data. It is this data that the GIS software will use or whatever software wants to use it. Health organizations, NGO's and other big organizations make use of data and QGIS

It will be easier to get a job that way. Apps like Environmental Impact Calculators already provides real time information

about distance from one destination to another, which is helping developers determine how to create urban space and create more accessibility to pedestrians and motorists.  

So what is my point, learn as many software as you can before you graduate it will really give you an edge in the outside world.

Try not to dwell too much on drawings/designs. Trust me the Nigerian politics and planning laws are not ready for your beautiful designs. So why not focus more on Information technology to drive urban planning. This way no planning law or politics will undermine your worth.

You will be able to scale more heights faster than we that hard to learn the hard way.

Then we can now start talking about smart cities using urban intelligence. 

Google: QGIS, health mapper, Microsoft Power BI, Oracle DVD.