The commitment is to work in partnership to intensify the focus on improving skills and attract more people into the profession. Whilst the scale of the challenge is significant, Scotland’s planning industry have come together through the National Planning Skills Commitment Plan to help push the agenda forward.  This work builds on the RTPI Future Planners Project Report (2022) and sits as an Action in the Planning and the Housing Emergency - Delivery Plan (November 2024).  

SCHEDULE

The Commitment Plan's Schedule will update every month with different themes for training sessions and recruitment opportunities.  The aim is to provide support across all sectors, different age groups, and career stages, whether working in, or out, of the profession.

Themes for April 2025 coming soon and focusing on:

• Training - Environment
• Recruitment - Work/ learn opportunities

To help you decide on what's best, for you, click on the box below for the latest schedule.

SIGN UP - TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT 

Law:

• Planning Law Update - 31 March 12-1:00pm
  Please email jo@pas.org.uk to register

Housing Design:

• Shaping Housing Design Outcomes - Workshop at Glasgow University - 9 April 2025 - 09:15 - 4:30pm

Bursaries

£5000 Future Planner bursaries are available to 30 students on an RTPI-accredited Planning Masters in Scotland for 2025/26 to assist with course fees and living expenses.

The bursary aims to attract diverse talent from a variety of planning-related disciplines and underrepresented backgrounds to study a fully accredited Planning Masters in Scotland and increase the number of qualified planners.

The Scottish Government has provided grant funding to deliver the scheme and it will be directly administered by the three Scottish planning schools: University of Glasgow, University of Dundee and Heriot-Watt University. Each university will have 10 bursaries to award. RTPI Scotland will provide additional support to Bursary holders by offering places at Institute events.

Full details of the bursaries, links to the courses, and how to apply can be found on the RTPI website.

Recruitment Inspo Day

• Watch the video about Scottish Government's Planning Inspo day which took place on 6 March 2025 with support from City of Edinburgh Council and SSE Renewables

Register for the next Recruitment Inspo Day, which will take place on 5 June at Victoria Quay, Leith, Edinburgh (11am to 3:30pm) by emailing Susie Stirling.  

STAKEHOLDERS

100% commitment from stakeholders 

Stakeholders have committed their support, through some form of action, to the National Planning Skills Commitment Plan. For now, this includes over 100 people across almost 60 organisations. Everyone’s support will come into play at different times and the stakeholders have agreed to work collectively to help address Scotland’s skills agenda.

The Stakeholders that are part of the Commitment Plan so far have either already been linked to the planning skills agenda, or have been introduced as fresh contacts, including some specialising in skills promotion.

Commitment Plan Stakeholders are listed alphabetically below.

• Aberdeen Council   
• Aberdeenshire Council   
• Anderson Bell Christie Ryden  
• Architecture + Design Scotland (A+DS)  
• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) 
• City of Edinburgh Council   
• City of Glasgow College 
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI)  
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)  
• Developing the Young Workforce (DYW)  
• Dumfries and Galloway Collage  
• East Ayrshire Council   
• Fife Council   
• Geddes Consulting  
• Glasgow Caledonian University  
• Glasgow Chambers of Commerce   
• Glasgow City Council  
• Glasgow City Region
• Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS)  
• Heriot Watt University  
• Highland and Island Enterprise  
• Highland Council   
• Historic Environment Scotland (HES)  
• Homes for Scotland   
• Iceni Planning Consultants 
• Improvement Service (IS)  
• Key Agency Group   
• Landscape Institute Scotland (LIS)  
• Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)  
• Nature Scot  
• Partners in Planning  
• Planning Aid Scotland (PAS) 
• Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Directorate - gov.scot
• Royal Incorporation of Architects (RIAS)  
• Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)  
• Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland (RTPI) 
• Savills  
• Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP)  
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)  
• Scottish Futures Trust (SFT)  
• Scottish Land Commission (SLC)  
• Scottish Power   
• Scottish Property Federation  
• Scottish Renewables  
• Scottish Young Planners Network (SYPN)  
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS)  
• Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE)  
• Society of Local Authority Lawyers (SOLAR)  
• South Ayrshire Council   
• South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE)  
• SSE Renewables  
• Transport Scotland  
• Turley Planning Consultancy  
• University of Dundee  
• University of Glasgow  
• University of Highlands and Islands  
• University of Strathclyde  

SIGN UP - NATIONAL PLANNING SKILLS COMMITMENT PLAN

There is no exclusivity to committing to playing a role within the Commitment Plan. 

If your organisation wishes to join the Commitment Plan, please contact the Scottish Government Planning Architecture and Regeneration Directorate via susan.stirling@gov.scot and they will be happy to explore with you how best to work together.  

The Scottish Government is grateful to every stakeholder who has agreed to support the Commitment Plan and look forward to working with you. 

WITH THANKS TO EVERYONE