Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Architect to urban planner

An architect already meets 21% of what the urban planner role asks for. The move turns on 37 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From architect
21 % overlap
Distant match
To urban planner
20 You already bring
37 Still to learn
82 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance A rebuild

85.1/ 100

1 How much of what an urban planner is expected to do is already part of an architect’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the urban planner role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

An urban planner role treats 8 of its required skills as things an architect already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • architecture regulations
  • building codes
  • execute feasibility study
  • green building practices
  • liaise with local authorities
  • meet building regulations

What stands in the way is 37 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 20 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An urban planner role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an architect background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held architectural conservation engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held communicate with local residents communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held design spatial layout of outdoor areas communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held meet building regulations assisting and caring
  • already held landscape architecture engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held historic architecture engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 20 carried skills, including the 8 the urban planner role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 62 missing skills fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 communication, collaboration and creativity 15 required, 10 supplementary
  • still to learn manage intellectual property rights required
  • still to learn advise on use of land required
  • still to learn build business relationships required
  • still to learn communicate with a non-scientific audience required
  • still to learn develop professional network with researchers and scientists required
  • still to learn disseminate results to the scientific community required
  • still to learn draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation required
  • still to learn evaluate research activities required
  • still to learn increase the impact of science on policy and society required
  • still to learn interact professionally in research and professional environments required
  • still to learn mentor individuals required
  • still to learn promote the transfer of knowledge required
  • still to learn publish academic research required
  • still to learn speak different languages required
  • still to learn think abstractly required
  • optional, not held advise on architectural matters optional
  • optional, not held promote innovative infrastructure design optional
  • optional, not held advise architects optional
  • optional, not held advise on legislative acts optional
  • optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
  • optional, not held apply blended learning optional
  • optional, not held develop innovative mobility solutions optional
  • optional, not held promote sustainability optional
  • optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
  • optional, not held write scientific publications optional
02 information skills 12 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn apply for research funding required
  • still to learn apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities required
  • still to learn conduct research across disciplines required
  • still to learn demonstrate disciplinary expertise required
  • still to learn integrate gender dimension in research required
  • still to learn manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data required
  • still to learn manage research data required
  • still to learn perform scientific research required
  • still to learn promote open innovation in research required
  • still to learn promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities required
  • still to learn study human population required
  • still to learn synthesise information required
  • optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
  • optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
  • optional, not held study traffic flow optional
03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 3 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn spatial planning required
  • still to learn urban sustainability required
  • still to learn green space strategies required
  • optional, not held community-led local development optional
  • optional, not held construction methods optional
04 working with computers 3 required
  • still to learn operate open source software required
  • still to learn use geographic information systems required
  • still to learn manage open publications required
05 management skills 2 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn manage personal professional development required
  • still to learn perform project management required
  • optional, not held develop concepts for city marketing optional
  • optional, not held plan public housing optional
06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn environmental policy required
  • optional, not held geography optional

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries an urban planner role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 20 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held architecture regulations knowledge
  • already held building codes knowledge
  • already held execute feasibility study skill
  • already held green building practices knowledge
  • already held liaise with local authorities skill
  • already held meet building regulations skill
  • already held urban planning knowledge
  • already held zoning codes knowledge
  • already held advise on building matters skill
  • already held architectural conservation knowledge
  • already held cartography knowledge
  • already held communicate with local residents skill
  • already held design spatial layout of outdoor areas skill
  • already held ensure infrastructure accessibility skill
  • already held historic architecture knowledge
  • already held landscape architecture knowledge
  • already held project management knowledge
  • already held provide technical expertise skill
  • already held topography knowledge
  • already held use CAD software skill
The 5 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn demography required
  • optional, not held rural development strategies optional
08 information and communication technologies (icts) 3 supplementary
  • optional, not held smart city features optional
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held scientific modelling optional
09 business, administration and law 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held public housing legislation optional
10 education 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
11 services 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held bicycle sharing systems optional
25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held develop concepts for city marketing optional
  • optional, not held advise on architectural matters optional
  • optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
  • optional, not held promote innovative infrastructure design optional
  • optional, not held rural development strategies optional
  • optional, not held smart city features optional
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held advise architects optional
  • optional, not held advise on legislative acts optional
  • optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
  • optional, not held apply blended learning optional
  • optional, not held bicycle sharing systems optional
  • optional, not held community-led local development optional
  • optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
  • optional, not held construction methods optional
  • optional, not held develop innovative mobility solutions optional
  • optional, not held geography optional
  • optional, not held plan public housing optional
  • optional, not held promote sustainability optional
  • optional, not held public housing legislation optional
  • optional, not held scientific modelling optional
  • optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
  • optional, not held study traffic flow optional
  • optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
  • optional, not held write scientific publications optional
75 held skills the urban planner role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role adapt existing designs to changed circumstances skill
  • not needed by the target role advise customers on building materials skill
  • not needed by the target role advise legislators skill
  • not needed by the target role airtight construction knowledge
  • not needed by the target role apply systemic design thinking skill
  • not needed by the target role architectural design knowledge
  • not needed by the target role architectural theory knowledge
  • not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
  • not needed by the target role assess heating and cooling systems skill
  • not needed by the target role building information modelling knowledge
  • not needed by the target role building materials industry knowledge
  • not needed by the target role carry out tendering skill
  • not needed by the target role communicate with construction crews skill
  • not needed by the target role conduct field work skill
  • not needed by the target role consider building constraints in architectural designs skill
  • not needed by the target role construction legal systems knowledge
  • not needed by the target role create architectural sketches skill
  • not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
  • not needed by the target role design an artificial lighting system skill
  • not needed by the target role design building air tightness skill
  • not needed by the target role design building envelope systems skill
  • not needed by the target role design building retrofitting solutions skill
  • not needed by the target role design buildings skill
  • not needed by the target role design harmonious architecture skill
  • not needed by the target role design microclimates in buildings skill
  • not needed by the target role design open spaces skill
  • not needed by the target role design passive energy measures skill
  • not needed by the target role design window and glazing systems skill
  • not needed by the target role develop a specific interior design skill
  • not needed by the target role develop architectural plans skill
  • not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
  • not needed by the target role draw blueprints skill
  • not needed by the target role energy efficiency knowledge
  • not needed by the target role energy performance of buildings knowledge
  • not needed by the target role engineering principles knowledge
  • not needed by the target role ensure compliance with construction project deadline skill
  • not needed by the target role envelope systems for buildings knowledge
  • not needed by the target role environmental design knowledge
  • not needed by the target role environmental indoor quality knowledge
  • not needed by the target role evaluate integrated design of buildings skill

35 further entries not listed here

15 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier
  • still to learn spatial planning required
  • still to learn urban sustainability required
  • still to learn demography required
  • still to learn environmental policy required
  • still to learn green space strategies required
  • optional, not held rural development strategies optional
  • optional, not held smart city features optional
  • optional, not held CAD software optional
  • optional, not held bicycle sharing systems optional
  • optional, not held community-led local development optional
  • optional, not held construction methods optional
  • optional, not held geography optional
  • optional, not held public housing legislation optional
  • optional, not held scientific modelling optional
  • optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
Index

Other moves recorded from architect

Full index of moves from architect

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can an architect become an urban planner?

Yes, and it is a career change move. An architect already covers 21% of what an urban planner is expected to do: 20 skills carry over, 8 of which the urban planner role treats as required.

What skills does an architect need to become an urban planner?

37 required skills are missing, plus 25 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is manage intellectual property rights.

How hard is the move from architect to urban planner?

Its learning distance is 85.1 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.