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Women in Leadership
Name: Rebecca Tilley
Role: Graduate Planner
Company: DHA Planning
A bit about you: I graduated from the University of Greenwich in 2019 with a degree in Geography. I worked at my local council in the regeneration team for around 18 months overseeing large scale town regeneration projects. I joined DHA in January 2021 and I am now currently completing a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning with the aim of becoming RTPI accredited in the next few years.
What is it like working in your company? DHA support me in all aspects of work. The company have supported my degree from sponsoring me to, to giving me study leave to ease the pressure of deadlines and a full time job. At work, DHA work in teams of 4 or 5 people, all of whom work together and are available to assist and answer questions, no matter how silly they may seem! The support network is one of my favourite things about working at DHA.
Why did you decide to go into your chosen field? When working for the council in the regeneration ream, I realised that one of the fundamental elements of this job was to engage with Planners – this made me want to become a Planner as I saw how key their roles are to shaping places and I wanted to be a part of this.
What qualifications and work experience did you need to reach your current position? I have a Geography B.Sc. (Hons) degree and I had over a year’s experience working in a similar field. When I first joined, I did not have an extensive knowledge of planning however this has now grown significantly since.
What do you enjoy the most about your job? No day is the same in Planning. There are always new clients to speak to, and new problems to solve which keeps it interesting. You are always learning something new and there is always someone to talk to and ask.
What obstacles have you overcome in your career? Balancing workload and university assignments and exams was a challenge in the beginning. Managing a full time job and studying alongside each other presented challenges which I was not used to. I had to learn how to manage my time effectively to ensure my university work was submitted on time and my work was completed in a good and timely manner. This was a struggle for the first few months, but once I was in routine, I overcame this and am now able to manage both work loads effectively.
Why do you think it is important to have a strong female representation in your industry? Gender representation is important in the workplace, for all genders. Women are often underrepresented and under-valued in many corporate jobs. In more recent times, there are more efforts in all industries to value women however this isn’t always the case. In Planning, the more women who are represented, the more will in turn encourage even more women and girls to join the industry and feel supported and feel like Planning is a place where they feel valued as employees and leaders. In male dominated industries its easier for them to stay that way and to never break the mould. In planning there is a clear drive for women to become leaders which I believe is important in bringing in more women into the industry.
What advice would you give those wanting to take a similar career path? If you work hard and study hard then the benefits of the job will follow. Planning is a complex process and don’t expect to understand everything from day one. There are always opportunities to learn, even for those who have been in the industry for decades.
