Return to Work – Planning seeks Local Authority (LA) sign up to this return to work scheme – developed by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Government Equalities Office (GEO) – offering free support for people with experience in town planning, or with transferable experience from other services, to return to work following a career break.
…national programme supports councils with the recruitment of planning professionals…
…The scheme is free…
The LGA writes:
The programme considers applications from professionals who have caring responsibilities and have become unemployed due to COVID-19, or from those who have been in long-term unemployment. The Government Equalities Office (GEO) has set these eligibility requirements to help those who have taken career breaks to restart their careers at the right level for their skills and experience.
Those recruited on to the programme either have a minimum of two years’ experience working in a role connected to town planning or in one of the following, related disciplines:
- architecture
- environmental management
- engineering
- construction
- legal services
- academia
- geographical analytics/research
- finance/compliance.
Participants have free training from Planning Advisory Service (PAS), covering the following:
- a re-introduction to working in town planning, covering changes to policies and procedures and where appropriate, focused training on specific areas of planning
- an introduction to the future of town planning and the Government’s proposed planning reforms
- the opportunity to complete training on practical competencies, such as the use of digital tools, communication skills and problem solving
- an introduction to working in local government
- practical learning from industry experts about good practice.
As well as the necessary training, our programme is uniquely designed to mentor, coach and rebuild the confidence of these individuals. In doing so, the programme increases their resilience, harnesses the wealth of their experience and knowledge, and ultimately brings them back up to speed so they are ready to join your organisation today.
This national programme supports councils with the recruitment of planning professionals. It gives Councils the chance to connect with experienced planning professions in town planning and surveying who want to join local government.
The scheme is free and gives access to the LGA’s online recruitment platform so you can:
- search for returning professionals in your area
- review candidates’ CVs and reach out to those who best fit with your organisation.
This helps you avoid recruitment fees and any other additional costs associated with using recruitment agencies.
The platform is designed to provide ongoing support to both councils and a growing pool of candidates. We cannot guarantee employment matches, but we are pleased to offer you a way to connect with committed professionals who are eager to join councils.
Who can register?
You can register if you are a local authority.
