Pathways to Planning: information for employers

Pathways to Planning is a graduate recruitment programme run by the Local Government Association which has delivered more than 200 new planners to more than 100 local planning authorities since its launch in 2023. Subsidised places on the programme exist for councils and public bodies in England only at this time.

The programme delivers two career pathways for employers:   

• The Planning stream will deliver graduates to work as planners in local authorities, statutory consultees and NSIPs. Graduates will train as accredited Planners, or can specialise in an adjacent discipline such as architecture or ecology to build speciality knowledge within a planning team.
• The Surveying stream will deliver graduates to work as surveyors in local authorities, including construction project management roles. Graduates will train on an RICS, CIOB or CABE accredited course selected by the local authority.

Eligible employers can take part in one or both streams of the programme.

Express interest and sign up for our next intake

Find out more

For more information about the programme, please attend one of our upcoming workshops designed for employers to learn more about the scheme and ask any questions. To reserve your place contact [email protected].

You can also download our council information pack to learn more about the programme.

Pathways to Planning offers public sector employers with the talent pipeline and funding to fill graduate roles within the built environment, helping to deliver the homes and places which communities need.

Pathways to Planning runs a national marketing campaign and rigorous assessment process, giving councils access to a wide and diverse range of high achieving graduates without any hassle or cost. Our recruitment professionals use job-predictive assessments to identify the top 10 per cent of our large applicant pool and then progress high achieving candidates to interview with employers based on their interest in your role. We routinely receive more than 2,000 applications each year, ensuring you can choose from the most qualified individuals.

Each Pathways to Planning graduate will be study on a relevant accredited degree that you as the employer select, typically on a day release model over two years. Employers will receive an educational bursary valued at £11,000 for each Pathways graduate to help cover course fees. 

Pathways to Planning was created to expand the talent pipeline of graduates entering the built environment professions within the public sector and is therefore not suitable as an upskilling programme for existing staff unless they apply directly to the national process and do not already hold the qualifications funded through the programme. 

Timelines

• Summer 2026: Employers in the second round will interview remaining candidates in our pool of top achieving graduates. Employers can also sign up for our second campaign of 2026, which will see graduates starting work between Nov 2026 and March 2027. 
• October 2026: Employers can sign up for our fifth cohort (graduates starting work in autumn 2027). Signing up early can help you reach candidates interested in your region while our applications are open, building a local pipeline for your roles through the national campaign.
• October to December 2026: Employers can interview graduates from our second campaign for positions starting between November 2026 and March 2027. These graduates will begin study in January or September 2027 (depending on course availability). 
• February 2027: Closing date for councils to access autumn 2027 candidates via our first round of interviews.
• Spring 2027: Employers start interviewing candidates for autumn 2027 start dates, or sign up to our summer interviews for an autumn 2027 start date.