Learning to Code? Technical Skills in the Planning Job Market

It is widely believed that planning employers increasingly seek “data science” skills. We analyze more than 16,000 job ads posted to the American Planning Association jobs board, applying natural language processing and computational content analysis to track demand for analytical skills. We find steady demand for foundational technical skills—especially GIS and Microsoft Excel—while demand for advanced skills is modest. However, the pace of technological change suggests planners may require deeper analytical and computational skills. Many planning programs are revisiting which competencies to prioritize as they prepare students for the labor market. We discuss how our findings align with professional and academic reporting.