Bay Area Planning

[Political Economizer]

A longtime forum reader, here goes my first post:

I will be starting my MCP at Berkeley in the Fall and am looking for paid planning work in the Bay Area for the summer. Yes, I know the Bay Area job market is tremendously weak and I am fully aware that nobody really wants to hire someone with BA, especially without even GIS training. Nonetheless, I've noticed that the planners on these boards tend to be both knowledgeable and well connected, so I thought I might augment my more traditional search (which isn't turning up many opportunities) with this shot in the dark.

Any suggestions?

Noah Brick
Columbia College 2003

 

[nerudite]

If you start looking now, you may still find something by summer. Send e-mails or call the local Planning Agencies (there are tons out there), and aske if there are going to be any paid internships this summer. Call your Department Advisor at Berkeley, and ask if there are any postings for internships... cities near college towns often will send job requests straight to the professors (easy recruiting! I got two good planning jobs during a recession through this method).

There's an internship open with ABAG. http://www.abag.ca.gov/about_abag/

Look for State agencies that are planning-related for additional intership possibilities. I interned for the California Coastal Commission (which is based in S.F.)... it was a good place to start.