Essential Professional Skills for Practicing Planners

  1. Project Objectives

    1. a) Apply the expertise of CPR members to train mid-level planners on essential professional skills.
    2. b) Partner with APA California to provide additional professional development training opportunities.
    3. c) Increase the visibility of CPR among the California planning profession.

  2. Abstract

    CPR is committed to enhancing essential planning skills for practicing planners to promote effective planning and develop leadership and management skills. To accomplish this goal, CPR will offer interactive sessions and workshops at the APA California conference and other venues on core skills that may not be taught in typical planning curriculums, but are usually "lessons learned" through direct work experience. Possible workshop topics include strategic thinking, communication skills, project management, and effective community engagement and education. Other topics could be selected from the AICP Core Competencies developed by the American Planning Association (see https://www.planning.org/aicp/commoncore/). AICP CM credit will also be sought for these workshops.

  3. Project partners or collaborators

    • APA California Chapter Board
    • APA California Sections

  4. Potential funding partners

    • California Planning Roundtable
    • APA California Sections

  5. Potential impact of the project on planning trends, themes, or issues driving the project

    This CPR project will offer training to mid-level planners on essential core planning skills. The objective is to provide planners with tools to successfully implement plans and projects, and to gain insights on the political setting for decision-making among elected and appointed officials and the general public. Planners can be more effective if they think strategically, anticipate the dynamic factors that influence the decision-making process, and effectively communicate planning information and recommendations to the community.

  6. Unique contribution CPR can make through this project

    Collectively, CPR members have a depth of expertise and many years of experience working for public agencies, consultant firms, education institutions and non-profit organizations on diverse and complex planning initiatives. The professional expertise and different perspectives among CPR members represent many lessons learned, and CPR members can impart this valuable knowledge to younger planners.

  7. How the project meets CPR's organizational goals for projects

    This project represents an opportunity for CPR to apply the collective knowledge of its members to the betterment the planning profession. The professional training workshops will promote more effective planning practice by providing training on essential skills to the next generation of planners. It will fill a void by providing training on broad topics that are not commonly offered by APA. This project also represents an opportunity for CPR to strengthen its partnership with the APA California Chapter on a joint initiative. While attention will be on providing interactive workshops at APA California conferences, training would be expanded to offer opportunities throughout the state in collaboration with APA Sections.

  8. Project Team

    • Carol Barrett, FAICP
    • Liz Falleta
    • Hanson Hom, AICP
    • Kacey Lizon
    • Marc Roberts
    • Janet Ruggiero, FAICP