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Article Title:
Career Choices in Planning: A Diagnosis of Planning Related Tasks and Specializations
by Praveen K. Maghelal, PhD and Hee Soun Jang, PhD

Abstract:
1Associate Professor Sustainable Critical Infrastructure Program Engineering Systems and Management Masdar Institute. Abu Dhabi, UAE 2Associate Professor Department of Public Administration 1155 Union Circle, #310617 Chilton Hall, Rm 204L University of North Texas Denton, TX 76203 Corresponding Author: Praveen K. Maghelal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------???????---------------------------- Abstract The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a steady increase in employment in the field of urban and regional planning over the last decade. There is a clear shift in sector choices over this time period in the urban and regional planning profession away from public and towards the private and the non-profit sectors. Retirement of baby-boomers and attractiveness of new graduates to work in the non-public sector can result in dearth of new graduates choosing public sector for their career. The purpose of this study is to analyze the distinction of choice to work in public, private, or non-profit sectors in field of planning based on task value and job-specific specializations. This research explains the sector choice of planners and identifies important factors affecting their choices using the APA Job Salary Survey and the AICP Job Analysis Survey. The tasks that reported a positive association with private sector were the administrative and the research and analysis tasks. Communication and implementation tasks reported a negative association with choice of working in the private sector. Tasks related to implementation and administration reported a negative and positive association respectively, with working in nonprofit sector versus the public sector. Planners in public sector specialize in land use or code enforcement while planners with specializations such as land use law and environmental and natural resources are attracted to work in private and non-profit sectors. The results from the study emphasizes the need to encourage and enhance the motivation of professionals in their workplace while the implication for planning pedagogy is to provide planning education through public service that can help support and strengthen the commitment to the public sector.

Keywords: urban planning; sector choice; planning education; public sector, careers in planning; service motivation

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