Education & Careers

Planners be Nimble, Planners be Quick
Planning should be methodical and responsive to community needs, but not to the point of inefficiency. Too much planning can be just as harmful as too little.

Planning Your Planning Career: A Process not a Blueprint
As planning students and recent graduates consider internships and first jobs, they often ask how much these initial decisions matter. A conversation with Professor Robert Freestone unpacks the twists and turns of planning careers.

How Local Park Agencies Contribute to Decarbonization Efforts
Park agencies play an important role in decarbonization by creating and managing parklands, promoting sustainable practices, and engaging communities to combat climate change and enhance public health and biodiversity.

LA County Summer Youth Employment Program Empowering Thousands With Career Opportunities
The Youth@Work program offers up to 10,000 paid work opportunities to marginalized and underserved youth aged 14 to 24, providing them with valuable job training, skills development, and mentorship.

From Academia to Action: An Indigenous Reforestation Effort in Los Angeles
Ary Amaya, a UCLA graduate student, leads an Indigenous-led reforestation effort in Los Angeles, integrating cultural practices and ecological restoration across 27 acres to promote Indigenous sovereignty and sustainable land management.

Repurposing Oil Fields Into Parks: Advancing Just Transition and Community Well-being
The concept of a "just transition" extends beyond workers to encompass broader social and environmental dimensions, including the restoration and regeneration of land and communities affected by oil extraction activities.
California's State Library Park Pass Program Renewed Amid Budget Challenges
Californians can continue to access state parks for free by borrowing passes from their local libraries, thanks to the renewal of a state program.

American Climate Corps Echoes New Deal Programs
A new federal initiative places young workers in jobs aimed at building climate resilience, but will it avoid the mistakes of similar programs?

Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.

Housing and Equity Take Center Stage at NPC24
With discussions centering on how to solve the housing crisis and create more equitable communities, Minneapolis is a fitting host city for APA’s annual National Planning Conference.

Nevada to Host National Outdoor Recreation Conference
In May 2024, the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals will hold its national conference in Stateline, Nevada, offering opportunities to learn and network in the beautiful setting of Lake Tahoe.

Big Box Schools with Jeff Vincent: The Planning Commission Podcast
Why are new school campuses antithetical to everything we promote about what constitutes good planning?

Mitchell Silver, FAIP, Kicks Off Season 3 of the Planning Commission Podcast
Former APA President and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver reflects on a career spent planning for people.

Nebraska Governor Orders Return to Office for State Workers
The executive order could negatively impact the state’s workforce, which faces a shortage of more than 2,500 employees.

The Link Between Employment and Housing
For many people experiencing homelessness, the process of finding and keeping a job is fraught with challenges.

Less Than Half of Head Start Centers Near Transit
Just 42 percent of the nation’s Head Start early education centers are within walkable distance for parents with toddlers.

Youth Employment Program Earns Top L.A. County Award
The highly impactful Youth At Work program offers youth paid opportunities to develop skills in customer service, leadership, mentoring, and community engagement while helping with various programs and projects at Los Angeles County parks.

Building Bridges to the Future: Preparing the Next Generation of Planners
Discover the importance of preparing the next generation of urban planners to build a sustainable and thriving future.

Bringing Planning Back to the People
Has the profession given in to corporate interests, and is there another way forward?

TSA Suggests More Background Checks for Transit Workers
The proposal could make it even harder for short-staffed agencies to attract and hire new employees.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland