Bridging the Gender Gap: Attracting Women to Town Planning Careers
03 Feb, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- Why there might be less women working within town planning.
- How employers can attract women into town planning.
- Why it is important to attract women into town planning.
- Discover more about our planning, development and regeneration recruitment services.
According to the Royal Town Planning Institutes (RTPI) State of the Profession 2023 report, there were around 22,000 Planners across the UK in 2023, of which only 40% were women. This statistic was noted as unchanged in 4 years, with the same gender split in 2019.
What does appear promising is that in 2023, the RTPI reported actually having more women than men amongst its UK student members. Whilst the difference in numbers was not vast, 52.46% of UK student members were women and 47.54% were men.
It’s clear however that more can still be done in order to attract and retain female planners within the planning sector. With structural and cultural barriers amongst other challenges for women in the planning sector, employers must be held responsible for ensuring that the underrepresentation of women in planning becomes a thing of the past.
In our latest insights piece, we’re exploring how employers can attract women to pursue roles within town planning and how the expertise and skills they bring with them will benefit the sector.
Why might there be less women working within town planning?
From subconscious workplace bias to historical underrepresentation, there are a number of potential reasons that women choose not to pursue a career within town planning. Such reasons include:
- Historical underrepresentation.
- Pay inequalities.
- Workplace bias.
- Barriers to leadership positions.
Historical underrepresentation
With the planning profession having been historically dominated by men, it can take time to overcome and change systems and attitudes that have existed for many years. The historical perception and legacy that the planning sector faces may be to blame for the continuous gender imbalance that the sector faces.
Pay inequalities
According to the Office for National Statistics, in April 2024, the gender pay gap was highest within skilled trades occupations. If pay gaps exist within town planning, this could be a significant deterrent for females considering a career within the planning sector.
If a woman's salary doesn’t match that of her male counterparts, they may be discouraged from doing a job where they have the same day to day responsibilities as a man, but take home a lower income.
This is likely to be the case in any sector, but pay inequalities might be particularly prevalent in a sector that is historically male-dominated.
Unconscious bias
Unconscious bias can exist in any sector or workplace and refers to the ingrained attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes that influence our decisions about a person and their expected character, behaviour and background. As a stereotypically male-dominated sector, unconscious bias can be difficult to avoid within town planning and may deter women from joining the profession.
Gendered expectations, whether they be subconscious or not, can also result in bias within the workplace, with the potential for women to be steered towards administrative or support roles rather than being responsible for direct town planning.
Barriers to leadership positions
A lack of women in leadership roles within planning has been an ongoing issue for many years. In 2019, research carried out by Women in Planning, amongst 379 planning consultancies and companies with planning teams in the UK, determined that only 17% of director-level positions in private sector planning were filled by women.
With statistics like this, it is easy to see why women might be discouraged from joining the sector. Should they feel like there is no opportunity to progress, they may not be willing to commit the time or energy to a position within town planning.
How can employers attract women into town planning?
Whether it be local planning authorities or private sector organisations, attracting and retaining skilled female Town Planners is essential for the future of the sector.
This can be done by:
- Collaborating with educational institutions.
- Closing the gender pay gap.
- Offering flexible working arrangements.
Collaborating with educational institutions
By working alongside schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions, employers within the planning sector are able to raise awareness for careers in town planning to young women.
For female students who are unsure as to which career path to follow, a career in town planning might not have even entered their mind. Planning recruitment specialist, Josh Draycott, says, “Getting in front of students at such an important and influential time in their lives is essential for showing what the town planning sector has to offer, especially for young girls who otherwise might not have given it a second thought.”
Career fairs, guest speakers and the integration of town planning topics, such as sustainable development, into school lessons are all a great opportunity to promote the sector to young women and encourage them to join.
By showing the positive impact that town planning can have on future generations, employers are able to demonstrate to young women the importance of town planning.
Closing the gender pay gap
In order to attract women into town planning, it is critical to show that men and women are paid equally and fairly within the sector.
Employers must send a strong message that they ensure compensation is fair as this will foster an inclusive work environment and encourage women to join the sector.
Increased job satisfaction, improved morale and better productivity are all bi-products that employers might witness when employees are being paid fairly.
Women might be more likely to pursue a career which allows them to progress as easily as their male counter-parts, and ensuring there is no gender pay gap is just one part of demonstrating town planning as this kind of career.
Pay gaps often widen within more senior roles and therefore ensuring fair pay at all levels is important for encouraging women that there is room for female leadership within town planning.
Offering flexible working arrangements
Flexible working arrangements are an effective way to show women that town planning is a career that accommodates personal circumstances.
Flexibility within the planning sector can be beneficial for women who want to balance a rewarding career with motherhood or other care-giving responsibilities.
Flexible working arrangements are also a great way to reach women living in rural or remote areas who cannot relocate for reasons such as family commitments. Without flexible working, employers may miss out on female planning professionals who have a lot to offer.
Flexible working also offers employees the time to invest in their career prospects by attending additional training courses alongside work, and therefore might help to encourage women to pursue a career in town planning.
Why it is important to attract women into town planning?
It is essential that the UK planning sector, local authorities and private planning organisations make encouraging women to join the sector a priority. By doing so, the sector is able to enhance its diversity, create inclusive teams, optimise decision-making and benefit from the unique perspectives of women on important areas such as sustainability, safety and inclusivity.
The inclusion of women within the planning sector is crucial for tackling gender inequality, inspiring future generations and ensuring that planning policies are driving innovation and reflecting the needs of a society as a whole.
Contact a town planning recruitment specialist
Josh Draycott is a dedicated private sector and local authority Town Planning recruitment specialist with a diverse background in recruitment.
With a strong focus on the planning industry, Josh recruits for a wide range of roles, including Town Planners, Policy Planners, Urban Planners, Development Management Planners and Directors of Planning. His expertise lies in sourcing both interim and permanent talent to meet the planning objectives of his clients.
Town planning recruitment services
As town planning recruitment specialists, we support local authorities and private sector businesses nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent recruitment needs.
Josh has built long-standing, trusted relationships with numerous local council planning departments, delivering tailored recruitment solutions that address the dynamic and evolving demands of the town planning sector.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, get in touch with Josh Draycott on 01772 954200 to see how we can help.
Planning jobs
If you’re searching for your next town planning job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
