The challenge this urbanized world poses is the substance of the planning profession. Planners are dedicated to developing innovative approaches to managing cities and planning their development. The constructive management of change is at the heart of the profession. Planning is growing in importance throughout the country, and the number of planners is rising rapidly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were an estimated 38,950 planners in the U.S. in 2009, up from 18,500 planners in 1990 as counted by the U.S. Census, and a 200% increase in that time frame. At the same time, the number of architects decreased from 157,000 in 1990 to an estimated 101,630 in 2009, a decrease of 35%.

Planners often work in local governments and communities, but their concerns are issues that affect the world - land use, social policy, historic preservation, transportation, housing, economic development, policy planning, environmental protection, urban design and international development. Planners are visionaries working for a better future through improvements in the quality of life in one or more of these areas.

Why is Planning Important?

Urban planning and management are key municipal functions in The United States and Western Europe, while in the rapidly growing developing world, urban expansion has far outstripped the capacity of city governments to cope with the bewildering array of problems this mass movement and spatial reorganization of the population generates.

Huge, difficult to manage multi-centered megacities continue to emerge worldwide along with the proliferation of thousands of other cities in a range of smaller sizes. Nevertheless, the attraction of urban life has never been greater. With more than 50% of the world's population living in cities at the turn of the century, the 21st century will be the world's first truly urban era.

What are the Concerns of Planners?

• The orderly, efficient and equitable development and arrangement of land. Implementation tools for land use plans include zoning and other development regulations, as well as capital improvement programs.

• The development of health and social service programs to improve the standard of living, especially for those lacking in resources and/or opportunities.

• The preservation of historic buildings, neighborhoods and sites to implement a cultural appreciation of architecture and geographical heritage through the protection of the physical representations of that heritage.

• The movement of people and goods from place to place, including the design of new facilities, an increase in the efficiency of existing ones, and the coordination of the transportation network of the community with its broader goals and objectives.

• The analysis of housing needs and the comparison of demand to supply. Housing problems and opportunities are identified, strategies to ameliorate housing deficiencies are developed, and new and affordable housing opportunities are provided.

• The rational development of policies as part of the planning process. Policy subject matter may range from program management to the physical form of a community and major social change.

• The provision of resources necessary to attract and retain industry and then the communication of the existence of those resources to people in industry who select the sites for plants, warehouses, and other major employers.

• The preservation of the community, urban and regional environments. Attention is given to issues such as the preservation of wetlands, the implementation of air quality strategies, the protection of natural areas and environmental features such as sensitive areas. The integration of environmental values in general into land use and other community plans is a priority objective.

• The merging of the aesthetics of the physical design of urban areas with urban policy making.

• The examination of strategies for regional and national development, including modernization and urbanization, transportation, rural development patterns, sustainable development, and related strategies of economic development.

• Planners use a wide variety of technical tools to study these issues of urban growth, development and management, including computerized map overlays, computer imaging, graphic analysis, statistics, and survey research. They are also called upon to lead community meetings, mediate between a wide variety of citizens concerned about controversial issues, and work effectively with many specialists such as developers and traffic engineers. Planning is indeed a rich and rewarding profession.